When the wonderfully long and lazy days of summer draw to a close and it's time to climb back on the proverbial treadmill, I'm ready. I'm sick to death of the heat and humidity. I have almost run out of the baby powder that I've been hopelessly dusting myself with every morning for a month - so that my hair doesn't stick to my neck and my legs don't stick to each other when I cross them. I'm sad looking out at my parched garden, because no matter how much I seem to water, everything is so desperately dry and droopy. I'm mad and itchy because I have poison ivy - again. My summer wardrobe has become a total bore - I've repeated the same 3 sleeveless blouses so many times I never want to see them again. But mostly, I'm ready to be productive and for everyone to get back on a schedule.

Who doesn't love a beginning? They're so full of promise. That new car smell. A freshly sharpened box of pencils on the first day of school. A newborn baby. You don't know what it is, or what it's going to be, but it's full of possibilities. And what could be better than fresh yarn cakes? mmmm.