Of late, evenings in our house have been a strangely incongruous combination of serious and thoughtful discussions and slightly tipsy adult silliness. I have a feeling that the former is instigating the latter and that the silliness is what lets us sleep. We have a metaphorical boatload of changes coming our way in the next few months and I’ve never been entirely comfortable with changes when they come by sea (or when they come at all, really). That said, I still feel an astounding degree of calm and assuredness, which is unprecedented for me in the face of life-altering situations.

It promises to be a stressful and busy fall, which is probably why I’ve been feeling the need to hang on to summer for as long as possible. Evening walks seem even more real and vivid than usual.