What Happened to Spring?

We sprinted through Spring into Summer in about two weeks.  Our weather has gone from pleasant to hot and I can say I'm not ready for the transition.  It will be nearing 100 degrees for the next 4 or 5 days if the forecasters are correct.  Ewwwww...  That's just too hot for me.  On days like this I am so grateful for central air conditioning.  The thing I have to remember is that here in Southern California, we have what we call June Gloom.  The interior deserts heat up and pull the cool, moist air from the ocean inland causing overcast skies and very cool weather that lasts, usually, most of the month.  By the time that trend ends, I'm usually ready for the sun again.  Our area is closer to the desert than the ocean so the hot weather lasts until October most years.  I remember, as a kid, it seemed that the week we went back to school after summer break was the hottest week of the year.  We wanted to wear our new wool skirts and sweaters but those usually couldn't come out of the closet until November. 

My Dad and Mom will be leaving in the morning to spend the weekend with my brother and his wife.  They are looking forward to seeing them. To me, it's like they are going to see distant relatives instead of my brother.  It is so sad that he misses out on all the closeness, love, fun and sharing that goes on between my parents, my family, my sister and her husband when we all get together.  We have a great time together.  We laugh, tease each other, talk about important family issues, cook together, work on crossword puzzles, watch baseball games on TV, and just generally enjoy the heck out of each other.  That he has chosen to exclude himself from our lives is something I will never understand.  I used to blame his wife because I know it started with her but now I have to hold him responsible for letting go of all of us.  He knows we are all together this week and he could have been a part of any or all of it if he had wanted to drive an hour to join us.  It just isn't a priority to him either.  I'm not angry or hurt anymore.  I've worked through all of the pain.  I'm just sad for him.  He and "L" never had kids and they don't have many friends.  It's going to be a very lonely life as they age and realize they have never invested in anything but each other.  There is no garden that will bring forth any fruit, so to speak.  As I look at my bounty - my parents, my sister and brother-in-law, my kids and grandchildren, my great friends and other relationships I know how deeply blessed I am to have been able to know the value of human relationship and what love does to enrich a life. 

I know this has hit home this week because of Dad's death.  Seeing and feeling the affection people have for him and for us has been what has kept our spirits up and has kept us moving forward this week.  We have received the love we have given to others.  Good things come out of sad times.