In the words of Willie Nelson…

Turn out the lights
The party’s over
They say that
All good things must end
Call it tonight
The party’s over
And tomorrow starts
The same old thing again

But the crazy crazy party
Never seen so many people
Laughing dancing
Look at you you’re having fun
But look at me
I’m almost cryin’
That don’t keep her love from dyin’
Misery cause for me the party’s over
Turn out the lights…

Once I had a love undyin’
I didn’t keep it but I tried
Life for me was just one party
And then another
I broke her heart so many times
I had to have my parting wife
I had to have my party
Why broke her heart so many times
But one day she said
Sweetheart the party’s over
Turn out the lights…

Stan plays this song every summer. The last night of summer vacation, as we are cleaning up from our last summer dinner, Stan blasts this song through the house. Now it has come to symbolize the end of good times.

This morning was the end of a good time. We had a great vacation but now it’s time for the party to be over. I sit here wishing I could upload Willie as he waxes philosophical (or at least as philosophically as a person can singing a twangy, country song can be). You can hear the lament and regret in his voice as he realizes the party, is indeed, over.

That’s how I felt this morning as cars were being loaded, cleaning was being done and the beach was left in our rearview mirrors. The party’s over.

We had a blast fishing, sunning, boogie boarding, surfing, sitting in lounge chairs, staying up way too late ~ talking and sipping cocktails, getting up way to early to walk the beach (after staying up way too late talking and sipping cocktails) and doing whatever we wanted. As Willie says “…the crazy, crazy party. Laughing, dancing ~ look at you, you’re having fun…”

Today we turned out the lights and headed home. Willie played over and over again in my head as the miles rolled on. The party’s over…for now. But it was a blast while we were there!

Oh, for the love of my children…