Fierce in Seattle: Summertime and the Living Is…Over?

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a blogumn by Kelli Bielema

Yay for summer!

The end of summer. Sure, it’s a bit cliché to mention that it creeps up on you, but in Seattle, it feels apocalyptic. Summer in Seattle is really only about 30 days, and while I am not one to complain about this (I abhor being hot almost as much as I despise freezing), it’s the change in daylight hours that inspires hari kari.

Since about late May, I have been able to rise with minimal hassle. It’s not easy, but the subtle streaks of sunlight gently throttle my eyelids in addition to the wet nose of the dog and the hungry cry of the cat. I rise at 5:15 a.m. for outdoor boot camp.  But now, in the last 2 weeks, the rays that facilitate my internal alarm are packing up for hibernation. The bed is warm, cozy and ahhhhh….. And then, the bed is warm and cozy again around 9:30 p.m. But come Daylight Savings switcheroo, the bed is warm and cozy closer to dinner time.

For now, I want to hold summer’s hand a little longer. Just a few more walks around Greenlake park, down Golden Gardens beach or through the Pike/Pine corridor. It’s this time of year when we mourn the barbecues, music festivals, block parties, beer gardens, sun-filled Mariners games and begin to lock down for the impending darkness.

Nightfall will soon rear its nasty self just shy of 4 p.m. I’ll leave work at 5:00 and it will feel as though it’s midnight. But with 3 years now as a Seattle resident, I finally feel prepared to meet the beast head on. Armed with my Vitamin D supplement (5,000 IU daily!), an exercise regimen, a boyfriend, a cat, a dog, a social calendar and volunteer activities, I am prepared to battle the winter blahs with the activities and people I enjoy. But talk to me about it again in February …