The 5/9ths Point (AKA - Past the Half Way Point.)

So, I like winter.

Nope, that's untrue, felt false as soon as I typed it.

I don't mind winter. I can tolerate winter. For a bit. November is all "Oh it's chilly, the leaves are gone, isn't that interesting". December is seasonal and the holidays and if it flurries and looks all pretty with no effect on the road conditions as Christmas music plays, that's very pleasant. Then even, even, for a bit of January as you endure the cold and FEET of snow you can think "wow, aren't I tough, I'm like a viking or someone from Minnesota living through all this winter, that must be very impressive to anyone watching."

All of that I can deal with. Except now that's over, and it's February, and it's neither interesting nor cheerfully seasonal nor impressive, it's just cold and old and time for spring, and time for spring just means it's almost time for summer. (Just once I'd like the Groundhog to declare six more minutes of winter, and then on February 2nd at 7:06 am it's 78 degrees and sunny. Is that too much to ask?)

But anyway. Getting to the point. (There was a point? Yes. Kind of. No, not really.)

Getting to the point! We have rounded the bend. We are past the midway. Next summer is closer than last summer is further away. Last summer is September, October, November, December, and January behind us, where next summer is merely March, April and May ahead of us. Seems like a doable journey.

Yes, there is no evidence as clear to how close next summer is than how far last summer is removed, and how can I tell how far we are from last summer? 

The same way so many camp people do.

 The sorry state of my friendship bracelets.

Look at these. 

In fact to call them bracelets (plural) is wholly inaccurate, they have fused and merged into one single solitary bracelet. The colors are slowly fading to a muted grey.  One will start to fall off, and then you are involved in perpetually re-wrapping it around the others to hold on for dear life. (Unless you're our friend and former-Shooting Sports Coordinator Tyler, who daily  separates his individual bracelets and very well might clean them with a special tooth brush only designated for the maintaining of friendship bracelets. Actually, Tyler, send me a picture of your immaculate friendship bracelets. The internet needs to see them. ACTUALLY, anyone send me a picture of the state of your friendship bracelets. That could be interesting. Or not interesting at all. It'll definitely be one of the two.)

And here's the thing: I like well worn and beat up friendship bracelets.  In fact, I think it should be a federally enforced law that you have to wear them till they fall off.  They constantly remind you of what last summer was. And the more and more beat up they get, they remind you of how close around the corner next summer is.