Rush Before the Summer

Lots of social calls have been planned up for the coming two months. In fact, as soon as the calendar turned May, appointments were made, promises were cashed in, and in some cases long-running requests were finally answered. It's the rush before the summer: visit everyone, get everything done, get the latest updates before we all run off into the summer.

Why is this? I have several explanations:

• we can't be sure of everyone's vacation planning, but we're pretty sure you're not gone yet; now's a good time to get together (with little risk that we're going to get jibbed)
  
• in my case at least, vacation money has rolled in, allowing me to finally pay off that debt; unfortunately nowadays even the simplest social gathering requires cash to spend, if only for the gas to put in the car.
• we've made it through the rough winter period, and now spring comes around. It makes us happy and it makes us wanting to show it to everyone. The weather is nice, let's go do something.
• I guess it's a rule of fours also. Every four months we have gathered enough new stories to share with our friends and family. We will get another one of these periods after the summer vacation, and again around the end of the year.

So. It's been busy, and it's going to get busier still.