Is there a chance that August is jealous and resentful of siblings June and July or even September?
If I were August, my nose would certainly be out of joint and I’d make sure everyone else in the family knew of my displeasure — pure unhappiness with being left out of the fun and frivolity that is enjoyed by most everyone else in the Calendar Family.
While August isn’t able to speak for itself, I will be a voice for this month that always seems to be ignored by event planners and activity co-ordinators.
August should be asking what she is lacking, what is missing in her personality that automatically shoves her to the sidelines, much like the wallflowers at school dances, those students who aren’t part of the popular crowd.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with August. She has 31 days that could be, in fact should be, filled to capacity with comings and goings, days that are just as bright and sunny and warm as counterparts in other months of spring and summer.
But alas, August is shoved aside in favour of over-loading her siblings, cramming more enjoyment in those months than a person can manage to accommodate.
If there is a free day in June or July it is only because an activity hasn’t been planned yet that will fill those hours, but give it a few minutes and someone will fill in the blanks.
From Victoria’s birthday weekend in May to the final day of July we humans are constantly on the go, taking in the parties and festivals, graduations, fairs and exhibitions, heritage days and fashion shows, sporting events and cultural productions, family reunions, birthdays and anniversaries, food fairs and car shows, airshows and meat draws, berry festivals and sidewalk displays, outdoor concerts and book events, playground programs and pool parties, antler surgery and wine tasting, markets for fresh vegetables, fruit stand forays and museum family days — and repeat.
Then add in family visits and camping trips, hotdog days and dunk tanks, bouncy castle events, balloon animals and face painting, clowns and magicians, ball tournaments and homemade pie sales — not to mention all the regular activities of day-to-day life like going to work, yard work, gardening, lawn watering and grilling on the deck.
Maybe it is a good thing that August is there to let us all rest easy, to take a breath and then release it slowly. In and out, and repeat.
The rationale for a nothing-much-going-on in August could be it is the lead-up to the harvest season; the winding-down of the regular tourism season; back-to-school days lurking mere days away; canning and freezing activities in the kitchen; final hours to enjoy the lakefront cottage; and time to wave goodbye to all the July holiday guests who came and stayed.
Still, I think moving an event or two out of July and into August would solve some of the hustle and make the wallflower month feel a bit better about herself.
Joyce Walter can be reached at ronjoy@sasktel.net
