'September' Means ...

-- Back to more temperate weather:
Even though Autumn begins next weekend, we are still having the "dog days of Summer" conditions around here.
Lots of hot, muggy weather during the last couple of months, we're hoping for cooler temps.

-- Back to school, all the way from primary to University levels.
The children we know have mixed feelings about going back; the younger ones are most excited, especially for their "first day."
But there are have been some notable exceptions. In the "Peanuts" comic strip, Charlie Brown's little sister, Sally, came home from school after the first day of classes, and remarked,"You mean we have to go back tomorrow?"
Some older children in elementary and junior high levels are excited about going back and meeting their friends again. In university, some (a few?) of us look forward to taking new courses.
As a former teacher, I'd like to pay tribute to the teachers who have just gone back to class.
To the veteran teachers, stay confident in what you are doing. Hang in.
Rookie teachers are advised to remember that they are Boss in their classroom. While they should seek out Mentors, who will guide them in this most formative parts of their careers, they must not let themselves be "pushed around."
If or when the going gets tough, just remember the old Latin saying I borrowed from the late teacher / entertainer, John Allan Cameron. He liked to 'show off his Latin' (acquired during his studies at St. F.X.). He sometimes sported a T-shirt on stage, emblazoned: "Illegitimi non est carborundum."
You, Dear Reader, will have to translate this phrase yourself.
For retired teachers, enjoy looking back on your experiences, and when you see / hear the school buses picking up the youngsters in the morning, enjoy ... rolling over and going back to sleep!
-- Back to sports: Hockey camps and tournaments have been going on throughout the summer, but now comes registration and League games.
University football seasons have already begun and I wish particularly success to the squads from St. F.X., and Boston College.
And, finally, in baseball, "How 'bout those Blue Jays!"
Before the All-Star break in early July, the team was listless; while their hitting it was solid, they toiled at the mercy of weak and inconsistent pitching.
After July 28, with a series of trades / acquisitions, everything seemed to come together: their pitching became much stronger, while hitting and defense improved.
At this writing, they are a couple of games ahead of the arch-enemy New York Yankees in the Eastern division of the American League, and they're making their first run for the playoffs since 1993, after capturing two World Series titles.
Stay tuned.