OK, Kids, What Did You Do This Summer?

Being deliberate about FUN does not make it less fun

Photo by Elijah M. Henderson on Unsplash

Well, friends, summer is officially over and we are starting into the serene days of fall. How was your summer? Now’s a great time to take stock! I gotta tell you, one of sweetest parts of retirement is that time is all yours! You can use it however you see fit. And, for me, that means a healthy dose of FUN. (I have to admit that I’m a little hedonistic. When in doubt, I usually choose to go have fun rather than working to change the world… It’s a personal character flaw that I kind of like.) In that last newsletter, I gave you a bit of a rundown on my summer. It included things like a bike ride in the vineyards with friends, a deep sea fishing trip, a fun glamping weekend on an island with family and friends and fun stuff closer to home, like escape rooms, lovely dinners in the outdoor venues around here and pizza parties with friends in my backyard. Nice!

How about you? Did you take advantage of the wonderful summer sunshine? Did you do everything you wanted to do for the season? Really think about it. Go back over it. Take stock. If you got everything in, good on you! And I hope you are focused enough to keep that trend going into fall. If you didn’t do everything you set out to do, that’s not at all unusual. In fact, it’s totally normal. Sometimes, it just means that enjoying a little down time is what was best for your mental health, but, more often, not getting everything in that you wanted to is because it’s easier not to. The fun stuff or important stuff isn’t top of mind, but the couch or the hammock or the swimming pool are right there and it’s easier just to drop into them. And rot.

So, how am I going to make sure my fall is as hedonistic as my summer was? Plan! As I’ve discussed before, it can be important to be deliberate about your FUN. It sounds counterintuitive, but fun not planned is fun not had a lot of the time. Or, if your thing is more about time with your family or giving back to your community, those things don’t do themselves, either. They probably take even more planning than the fun stuff and if you don’t start ahead of time, what you had hoped to be more time with the grandkids just becomes more couch time.

Why not start this weekend?! Fall is out there just calling for you! Here, I’ll give you a little boost. Do any of these sound fun? Put a couple of hours on your calendar this weekend to Google these things and see what you can find in your area, or research your own ideas!

Apple picking - All 50 states grow apples! Google “apple picking near me” and you’ll likely find tons of options. You’ll find not only a fun day of picking, but often apple pies and turnovers and more cider than even your grandkids can drink. And, if you’re lucky (and over 21), you may even find spiked cider or hard cider at your picking venue.

Pumpkin patch/Corn maze - A lot of these places have all kinds of fun other than just picking your pumpkin for Halloween. Most have food and you can find hay rides and pumpkin carving contests and even Punkin’ Chunkin’ which allows you to load your pumpkin into a cannon and shoot it for distance! Try a nighttime glow maize maze if you’re ready to get really lost! And don’t forget to bring the grandkids. They like this kind of stuff, too. :-)

Crush - If you’re lucky enough to live somewhere near a wine country (and there are getting to be more and more of them across the US) this is Crush season! What is Crush? It’s the time of year that winemakers harvest their grapes and stomp the wine out of them. There are all kinds of events, usually including barrel tasting and grape stomping for the more adventurous among us.

Fall foliage - Of course, New England is the area known for the changing of the leaves, but just about anywhere you live there will be vibrant colors this time of year. Take a drive out to the country or take your friends to an Airbnb somewhere near you to find as many colors as you can with a little change of scenery!

Oktoberfest - Craft beer is getting to be big business across this nation, and many of the brewers borrow a tradition from Germany called Oktoberfest. It usually starts in mid-September. Special beers are brewed for the occasion and sometimes breweries hold events, as well, with wursts and schnitzels and polka music (but hopefully not the polka music). Pull on that lederhosen, pack up that stein and I’ll see you at the bar!

Harvest festivals - If you’re up for a hay ride or a hoedown a harvest festival might be for you. If not, try it anyway and come away with some beautiful fall fruits and vegetables from the harvest. You’ll find everything from pears and persimmons to pumpkins. YUM!!!

Fall hikes - It’s a gorgeous time to be outside. If you live in a part of the country where the seasons change right before your eyes, this time of year can be candy for the senses and so beautiful it makes your teeth ache! For those of us in the central part of California, it means it’s finally weather that doesn’t make your toes melt. Find a hike that’s a mile or two to start and work up to ones that have beautiful destinations, like views for miles or neat ruins or even a year-round waterfall.

Get out your calendar and get some stuff on there! And I’ll see you on the trails!