08.28.13  “Serein (n).  the fine, light rain that falls from a clear sky at sunset or in the early hours of night; evening serenity.” — Otherwordly Blog

Well, it’s actually the morning right now; morning serenity.  It’s just what I’ve needed in this transition time between Summer and Fall.  I woke up thinking that I was just in the doldrums with smoke-hazy, still and hot days.  It reminded me of those years in New England and the dog days of summer that were quesy yellow and stagnant, and it felt like time had just stalled out in late August, and Autumn was never going to come.  Stuck in limbo.  But, then I heard the soft rain splashing on the big leaves while drinking my coffee.   Could this be the weather-changing event?

Early tomorrow morning we are flying to Berkeley and spending Labor Day week-end with Valerie and her family.  Cormac started kindergarden today!   There will be so many stories, the Oakland A’s baseball game, our favorite pizza and burritos, bike rides and playgrounds.  On this day, nine years ago, Valerie and Mark were married here at the lake.  It was raining that morning, as it had all night before, and we were desperate for it to stop by 4 p.m. when the ceremony was to take place on the front lawn by the water.   As it turned out, that week-end was the transition point in weather patterns between Summer and Fall.  An hour before festivities were to begin, the sky cleared and cool, crisp Autumn air raced across the lake, bringing spectacular vintage sailboats close to our shore.  And, It was a night for dancing under the stars, just like we had promised on the wedding invitations.  Almost a decade ago now.   We’ve lost a grandmother and a grandfather since then.  There’s been cancer.  We’ve had another wedding and added a new son-in-law.  We’ve had several years of travel to London, where the newly weds moved, after the birth of their baby girl a year later.   Her brother was born there, and they now live in Berkeley, and have added a second brother to the family.  A baby girl was born to the Billings family of brothers, and she started second grade today.

Oh these transitions…something beautiful is always on the other side!