The Absent Uncle: The summer, in review

As we enter October, and finally the heat and humidity here in the Houston area has given way (albeit only partially) to the beginnings of fall. It seems a good time to look back and see all the changes that have taken place, the major events, and get ready for fall to take place.

It was a long, very hot, and humid summer. I stress “very” in the last sentence. I don’t think in our almost eight years since we moved was it this hot and humid for such a long period of time. The one thing that helped was the amount of travel we accomplished this year, taking us out of the humid oven of south Texas.

While it was not planned to be a summer of travel it certainly eclipsed any previous year for going places. Not having any health challenges, knee replacements, or other obstacles, our cat sitter found herself a bit of extra income with our comings and goings.

We annually do our trip to Cabo San Lucas in April, which brings us back usually just prior to summer start in May. This year summer was in full swing to welcome us back. 

June ended up being a planning month for all that followed. Medical visits were pushed up, extra therapies to assist with some pains that needed to be dealt with, and of course, some shopping to get those items (thought to be) necessary for the upcoming journeys.

An almost two-week trip to Minnesota to visit family and friends got us out of the Houston heat and into a Minnesota imitation of it. While our hosts complained of the hot summer they were experiencing – all we could say was that by comparison, it was a relief! 

In mid-August we took off on a trip to Europe almost two years in the planning. I remember sitting on our front porch at 5 a.m. waiting for our airport driver and breaking into a sweat just sitting there! As I had shared in an earlier column, the trip was incredible, and for the most part, the weather was better than “home”. We had warm days, a rainy day here and there, and one memorable day when I got to wear the long sleeve shirt I brought along.

And yet, after three great weeks, in early September, we came home to exactly what we left. Hot and humid. No change. 

A week later, my high school graduating class had scheduled a get together to celebrate the year of our collective 75th birthdays, so I traveled to Minnesota for a very quick visit. The relief of that trip was great timing. Another light jacket day and I even wore long pants for a change after about eight months. 

It’s now October; our local weather people point to next week for the first “front” to give some true relief. Bring it on.