September Eve

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Mahjong, Mahjong, Mahjong... isn’t that what Mondays were made for?

Betsy had invited a group of us to join her at her beach club for an evening filled with gaming, and really, who could say no to that?! I drove straight there from work, settled in on the deck overlooking the ocean, and chatted with friends as we waited for the games to begin.

Betsy was a fantastic hostess and had thought of everything. She made each of us our own little snack bag, supplied the drinks, and served everyone pizza. We had two tables going for our group, with one lucky rotator jumping into a game whenever someone finished playing.

We played and played without even realizing the sun had gone down, and we were all surprised when the lights suddenly came on! Betsy had set up the tables with her fancy tiles, forcing us all to focus as we learned a few new tiles while we played. Nothing like throwing a little extra challenge into the mix to keep everyone on their toes!

It made for a long day and night for me, but it was absolutely worth it. I arrived home a full 13 hours after I had left for the day, but honestly, I couldn't think of a better way to spend a Monday. We were lucky to have such a beautiful evening, especially with rain in the forecast. We were all happy to squeeze in as much outdoor time as possible before being forced back inside.

On the eve of September, it felt like a good idea to be outside. I’m already feeling inspired to host another Mahjong night myself... once fall settles in, that is.

I’m certainly sad to see August behind us. Why is it that summer flies by in the blink of an eye, while February and March seem to last approximately six months? It hardly seems fair.

But when I look back over these past two months, I can honestly say that I squeezed every possible minute of fun out of them. Beach days, beach nights, dinners with friends, music, Mahjong, Broadway, NYC and plenty of memories made along the way.

So while I may not be quite ready to let go of summer just yet, I suppose September deserves a fair shot. I’ll hold onto these warm nights for as long as I can, welcome whatever fun the next season brings, and try to embrace September with every bit of enthusiasm I can muster. After all, if summer taught me anything, it’s that the best moments tend to go by quickly... so you might as well enjoy every single one while you can.

“There shall be eternal summer in the grateful heart.” — Celia Thaxter