Why must the end of summer seem like some solomn depressing funeral?? The season is dieing..really it is! The world is quiet..and this year, its even worse..I feel lost, like a girl without a culture..where to go, oh what to do! I feel like a piece of me has died..and i'm not sure what to do with it.

It's funny, but the fall always brings out a different me. A me that likes to wear school clothes and nice shoes..I put the patchwork on hiatus and get all girlie..this year is no different. I bought two new spanky pairs of shoes at kohls. One pair is a leather loafer with a cute little zipper on the side. The other pair is a cute little set of leather sandals, perfect for the warmer start of school. Joe and I went school shopping the other day. I ended up with a spiffy pair of tan dress pants from the GAP, a button down oxford in lavender, the standard white long sleeve tshirt (that I wear out and get a new one every year like clockwork), a linen printed skirt, and a sleeveless vneck natural green knit top. I can't wait for school to start so I can wear all these goodies!! Oh, and a new bathing suit, a tankini, from..you won't believe me...really..its absurd, and I probably would never walk in there otherwise, but Joe actually wanted to go in..and it was dirt cheap..like 14 bucks dirt cheap..from Tommy Hilfiger (is that even spelled right?). Yeah, i know..funny huh?

Now, for the hair ;) Time to get it cut and highlighted right before school. I could really wait another two weeks, but then you have that funny instance of the kids looking at you funny because you didn't do it before school started. Besides, back to school night is on the 16th and I need to look professional for all the 'rents coming in.

But somehow, I'm torn. I don't want this summer to end. It has been so bittersweet in so many ways..and I don't feel like it should be done yet..I don't feel like I've finished my summer..

I wish there was more time!

"...and I would buy you a bouquet of newly sharpened pencils if I knew your address!"

Ahh, school awaits me. I've spent the last week overcoming the numbness that is Phish, and now, its just something like 16 days until my days are filled with 23 fifth graders being rowdy in a very large classroom with lots of windows ;) I'm excited none the less, but summer's dog days are certainly numbered! There is so much to do, a classroom to prepare, computers to set up from the end of the year carnage ;) Desks to label, signs to make, mailboxes to number, copies to make, etc etc etc. God, school is alot of work, and ten months flies REALLY quickly :) In a way, I can't wait to walk away from this summer and get back to life, but in other ways, I can't ever get this summer back, and that depresses me..Where does the time go?

The idea of Coventry began like any other Phish festival. Just another yearly celebration of community at an airfield where we'd all listen to Phish and enjoy ourselves. I honestly don't think I was as mentally prepared as I thought I would be considering the course of events.

I bought my tickets the day they went on sale. Missing any phish festival was completely out of the question ever! It's an unreal experience unlike any other experience I've ever had. Then, the bomb hit. Trey's announcement. The rush of phans. At first, I got worried about the ticketless. I was worried that it would be "oswego" like, with too many people for comfort. It was beyond that.

I remember walking out of Camden as Trey clearly stated that we should wait until Saturday morning to head up. Joking as I walked out, I asked around who would be listening to Trey. Knowing what IT was like, we decided to stop in North Jersey for the night at least. A few hours of sleep could make any wait in traffic more bearable. The next morning, we got up from our 9 person/one room slumber party. We all got a quick shower..headed to walmart for more tarps..a krispy kreme and a mocha latte later, we were on our way.

After a good long ride in the car and a few phone calls later..I was approaching Exit 21 on I91, calling my friend Josh who was on site and asking if I should still take Route 14 up. He gave me the thumbs up..and off we were. It was torrential. The rains were unbelievable. Little did we know what we were REALLY in for. We approached the traffic at around 9:30 at night, only to find some fellow PTers up the line from us about 20 cars. IT revisited, we thought. I managed to fall asleep not too late and get a good few hours in.

In the morning, I was sleeping as the first Gordon announcement came through. As my friends woke me up, I was nearly numb. How could this be? Within minutes, the police were driving past us giving up the thumbs up..as another cop car not far behind gave up a "you're in! You're in!" Still, I couldn't truely believe it until we made that left onto Route 5. Lori had written "The Kharmawagon" on the car while sitting in traffic. At about 8am, Joe opened a Magic Hat to the phrase "Kharma cannot be denied.". Could this be real? Within seconds, Chip had a magic hat cap that said "Are you REALLY ready?" No, this couldn't be. This was uncanny...unnatural!

I took a walk mid morning to the minimart for icecream and watched the traffic for a while. We were in, thats for sure! As the traffic continually but slowly turned the corner, I felt a little more reassured that we were guaranteed. A very nice local, Cathy, at the minimart, talked to me for a good while about the entire event. It was nice talking to her, getting a local perspective, for more than two minutes. Walking back with my coventry sticker in hand along with the local newspaper (as i've always done), I found our crew without too much of a distance to go.

We did manage to get in during the first set. Traffic may have crawled along, but there we were, at the gate, right at the beginning of the show. It took us a bit longer to settle into a spot for camping. Friends..near Lesbos, and near the letter J, we explored both options..getting side swiped by someone's mirror, denting up the side of the car and leaving a trace of paint. He lost his mirror in the process. We ended up in Family Camping, where we thought we had the best option..indeed we REALLY did. We set up camp, recooping the first set losses..and headed in for the night. The mud was bearable. We were in, and I couldn't have been more thankful.

We had already accepted missing the first night..but at least we'd be there for PHish's last moment. The weekend was a very quick blur. There weren't enough hours in the day to party. But, those that we had were spent very wisely enjoying every last moment of them. Monday morning came way too fast. But..somehow..we managed to score a spot right near the exit. Little did we know how absolutely pertinent this was when we first moved in. Well, we knew, but it meant even more on Monday morning. Before we knew it, there we were, on the road..inching into the gate merge.

As we got onto 91, and saw the carnage that was, I began to cry hysterically. I saw the walkers on 14. We weren't that far..but as the cars kept sitting on the side of the road, long before exit 25, and beyond. Walkers, people who abandoned their cars just to spend the weekend being with Phish at their last party. How do you even comprehend all of this? How did we end up in when we went to Camden, when my friend Lindsay who got in line the morning after Great Woods did not make it in? How can you even fathom these ideas?

You can't..and as we drove, the car made a really messed up sound. a pop if you will. The dent from the mirror of that car popped right out. Just some paint left behind now. We made it to Coventry, we weren't turned around, We saw 5 out of 6 sets of music, we got out of Coventry in less than an hour, the dent miraculously disappeared. How is it even possible? I still don't know..but whoever/whatever is responsible for this, I thank you!

Happy Birthday Jerry!! I miss you!

A year ago today, IT was wrapping up. It was an insane weekend that we sat in ALOT of traffic for. In two weeks, it will all be over :( None the less..a few more shows to go, and alot of fun to be had by all. Check out my pictures from IT. I can't WAIT for Coventry!