Summer's Over for a While

Summer's over.

Summer ends in the northern hemisphere when the Jimtown Department of Public Works hauls the raft in.

Today we hauled the raft in.

And in doing so we ended the blissful season for the few billion people north of the equator.

Then we had a strong drink on the Mayor's deck and contemplated our actions.

It was the pragmatic decision.

In previous years we wanted everyone to have a longer summer because summer makes people happy and winter makes people scared.

So we would leave the raft out until the end of September.

Inevitably a Northeast wind would come barrelling down from the Gulf of St. Lawrence and hit us, and the raft, with a first breath of fall like a punch in the face.

And people would come to Jimtown to remember summer and watch the raft riding the growing swells at anchor.

For us Jimtowners, it was reassuring knowing she was there - stalwart and bow into the wind like Winston Churchill was to the British.

But then she wouldn't be there.

Because she would drag her anchor, flip over and pound upside down on MacKinnon's beach for, say, 18 hours.

And that would create problems for the Jimtown Department of Public Works.

So no more summer for anyone.

At least, not for a while.

But fall is here and fall is a fine time to contemplate the fleeting nature of beauty.

As the Jimtown Department of Public Works enjoyed a well deserved refreshment on the mayor's deck, talk turned to the changing seasons and the bigger issues of life that they harken.

Like Christmas parades and how best to defend our title as three time champion of the Best Non-Commercial Float category.