Almost Summer

This is a rather interesting time of year….one that really doesn’t have a true identity. We’re a couple of weeks away from the official start of summer although for some the summer season is well underway. Parochial schools have all pretty much finished for the year so for those students the vacation has already begun. Public schools have at least another week to go and some don’t finish until late June because of snow days and other postponements.

Memorial Day has become the unofficial start of the summer tourist season but except for weekends you would not know that and really won’t for a few more weeks. When the weather cooperates locals can pretty much enjoy semi-private beaches during the week and even the weekends won’t be packed until later in the month. Popular restaurants in beach areas that are normally jammed in July and August are easy to get in right now…at least during the week so it’s a good time to head over the bridge. After eating you can even stroll a fairly empty boardwalk and burn off the calories.

This all will end fairly soon and people will settle into a summer routine. For many that means taking the kids and heading to the beach or pool or making sure older ones get to their jobs. Some will spend part of their summer at camp which gives Mom a badly-needed break. After spending the past nine or ten months just driving kids from one place to another the summer allows for a somewhat slower pace. Of course that’s not the case for all but usually there is a change in the routine and sometimes that’s all you really want.

I’ve always said the best time of year around here can be the middle part of June and then the first couple of weeks after Labor Day. You get to enjoy the perks of life at the shore without the downside of all the people and traffic. So enjoy because July 4th is only 25 days away.