2019 Life Logs, Day 244: First Day of September
Date: Sunday, September 1, 2019
Weather: Mix of Sun and Clouds; High 78, Low 58 degrees F
Location: At Home in the Cottage, East Falmouth, MA
Growing up, September was my favorite month of the year. I loved the cooler weather, the changing colors of the leaves, and the football season. Both of my children were born in September, so that added to my love of the month. But as I grew older and lived in colder climates, I began to resent September as it represented the end of summer. And anyone who knows me, knows I LOVE summer and am always reluctant to let go. Now I feel like I am entering the mellow years where resentment has no place. So, I embrace September, not as the end of summer, but as the bridge month to Cape Cod’s lovely (and hopefully long) autumn. So, welcome September.
I was kind to myself today and didn’t worry about getting anything accomplished. I got up and went to Heather and Jed’s to feed the guinea pigs and finish up one last organizational task in the basement. Then I drove to Hyannis to do some food shopping. Shortly after I returned, friend Karen Baranowski came by and we managed to talk away the afternoon. After she left, I put my bike rack back together and went next door to visit with Shirley and Doris. In between activities, I watched a lot of coverage of Hurricane Dorian. When I sailed in the Bahamas with Sam and Dawn aboard Windbird in 2017, we visited a few of the islands in the Abacos that were hit so hard today. Elbow Cay, where Dorian first made landfall, is the home of Hope Town. 
It is one of the most beautiful little communities in all of the Bahamas and it is where the iconic candy-striped lighthouse, first opened in 1864, stands proud. Sure hope it is still standing after Dorian. It made me very sad this afternoon to think about the devastation there. It brought back memories of Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico in September of 2017 . . . dark memories that will live with me forever. I can’t even imagine how the people going through this feel. The Abacos have not been spared, but let’s hope the storm does take the turn northward and only grazes the coast of Florida, Georgia, and the Carolinas. Especially thinking of sister-in-law Sue and Brad in Boynton Beach.
