How many times have you heard someone say, “Time flys when you are having fun?” How about, “As I get older, the time goes by so fast” or “Where have all the years gone?” It does seem like time goes by much faster as we age, doesn’t it? Maybe it is because we are all getting older. I remember as a boy how it seemed like the school year defined eternity and when summer vacation finally arrived, it lasted forever too.

When Labor Day has come and gone and the kids have gone back to school, you can say that summer is officially over. By now you have already done all your back-to-school shopping and you are just watching your mailbox waiting for the dreaded credit card bills.

It was a good summer. Sure, it was hot and dry at times but all in all we should be thankful for the season and all of the activities we were able to enjoy. Some got to go on family vacations traveling to places far from home. It was a chance to do things as a family and maybe to visit relatives and friends that we hadn’t seen for a long while. Others stayed close to home maybe due to work or the insanely high gas prices. The good news is that if you did stick close to home, you are in a place that other people dream of coming to for a vacation. We have tons of natural beauty right on our doorstep waiting for us to enjoy. The Great Lakes and thousands of beautiful inland lakes beckon us along with more acres of forestland than we could ever explore.

For many of us retired folks it was a time for the kids, grandkids, and good friends to pay us a visit. For some reason they would rather travel north during the summer than in January. I can’t say as I blame them. This year, as in the past, we escorted some of our guests on tours of the Sleeping Bear Dunes, Fishtown, and the wine country of Leelanau and Old Mission. These are just a few of our favorite places. We worked on projects around the cottage and we even got to explore South Manitou, which was on our list of things to do.

I’m not sure why the time seems to pass by so quickly these days but it does. I’m convinced there is some scientific reason why, but frankly I don’t concern myself with it. I’m just glad to be here, try to enjoy each day to it’s fullest and am thankful for the good times of a fleeting summer season.