First of August

August rushes by like desert rainfall,

A flood of frenzied upheaval,

Expected,

But still catching me unprepared.

Like a match flame

Bursting on the scene,

Heat and haze of crimson sunsets.

Like a dream

Of moon and dark barely recalled,

A moment,

Shadows caught in a blink.

Like a quick kiss;

One wishes for more

But it suddenly turns to leave,

Dragging summer away.

Elizabeth Maua Taylor, August

And now it is the month of August. In some ways I never thought we'd get here and in other ways, it feels so sudden.

The last week of July was very difficult. We've been suffering a record-breaking heat wave all the while my poor Lorne has been not only working his regular job, but also moving his belongings into storage and here. I've helped, but when the sweat started pouring out my eyes and I could no longer see straight, and my back said "No more!" I had to stop.

But this morning, I awoke to a new life. The breeze wafted over my exhausted and aching body giving me such relief. And although I was alone because Lorne had already left for work, I felt that everything is right with my world. The two of us have experienced all four seasons together again and are looking forward to the rest of our lives together.

Last night I said, "Are you happy?"

"Uh huh."

"No regrets?"

"None."

And I slept like a baby.

But as the above poem says, life moves on at too rapid a pace. I'm going away for a few days with some girlfriends next week. And the last two weeks of August is our Pacific National Exhibition where Lorne will work every evening (after his regular job) for the 49th year of his life. He wants to make 50 years there and then will stop. Then it will suddenly be September and school will start and I'll begin tutoring again.

I will savour every moment that we plan our nuptials for next September.