summer nostalgia

 sometimes summer isn't long enough, but sometimes it's too long. the kids are out of school too long, and it's too long for 2 working parents to go without regular and dependable childcare. but the weather, the play, the flexibility at my job allows for some long weekends and lots of long evenings. now i'm looking back at those weekends and evenings wistfully, because summer is officially over--the students are back on campus at UW, and the kids are back to their classrooms in Madison. we are so thankful for a return to in person school, and also sorta apprehensive about what risk there is of infection for our unvaccinated kids, what risks are associated with infections for our kids, and what our community--locally, and broadly --will do with a resurgence of this new more infectious delta variant of COVID. 

but in my wistful looking back, i'm remembering times of maskless hugs amongst reunited vaccinated friends after long stretches without those things. in particular, i'm remembering this 24 hour period in which my friends crashed at my house and we laughed the whole time.