Dear School Kids,

Look who's back in class!

You!

And not me!

I don't mean to rub it in, but ha ha ha ha ha ha!

That's one of the advantages of being my age. I never EVER have to go back to seventh grade.

Anyway. Today's a good time to take stock of the summer you just had — to make lists of what you did and didn't do, which is something I've done forever.

This is what my lists look like this time around:

STUFF I DID THIS SUMMER

Got a pedicure.

Sat on the beach and watched for dolphins (didn't see one).

Drank a lot of Mexican Coca-Cola.

Read a few thrillers.

Talked to teachers about writing.

Let my bangs grow, mostly out of extreme laziness.

Watched "Perry Mason" reruns almost every night.

STUFF I DIDN'T DO THIS SUMMER

Play darts.

See the new "Star Trek" movie.

Clean out my kitchen pantry (even though I meant to practically every day).

Make frozen raspberry jam.

ON THE OTHER HAND

I went to some great weddings.

Did physical therapy.

Read zombie haiku, courtesy of my friend Chris Crowe.

Slept with the windows open and listened to night noises.

Attended a great writing conference at BYU.

Baby-sat a Chinese pug, three parakeets, two cats and a hamster.

HOWEVER, I didn't hike to Cecret Lake and see the wildflowers.

Sleep outside in the backyard and watch meteor showers.

Take my Newfie swimming.

Plant a new rose bush.

STILL, I watched fireworks.

Bought a pair of Rainbow flip-flops.

Ate a seafood cocktail at Maddox.

Read blogs.

Went to a couple of Bees games.

Sat on my front porch and watched evening fall.

Spent a weekend in Kamas.

Helped my son and his wife move.

Took one of our boys to the Shakespearean Festival in Cedar City and watched "As You Like It" ... and yes! We liked it very much! Thank you, William Shakespeare!

IT WOULD HAVE BEEN NICE, THOUGH, if I could have played some tennis.

Or hit a few golf balls with my dad.

Or swam laps.

Or ridden my bike to Liberty Park every morning when the sprinklers were running.

HOWEVER, I CAN'T COMPLAIN, because I took a trip with my parents.

Saw nieces and nephews.

Made some new friends.

Discovered "Freaks and Geeks."

Also discovered dipped ice cream bars (rolled in toasted almonds) at Costco.

Went to my high school reunion and felt like it was 1974 all over again.

Saw the Black Keys

Saw Eric Clapton and Steve Winwood, too.

Noticed that there were people with oxygen tanks at the second concert. Felt glad that I'm not there.

Yet.

I used to feel bad when I'd list the things I didn't do — like somehow I'd failed the season of summer.

But now?

Well, now I just put those lists away, happy I've got a plan for next year already in place.

OK, kids. Time to hit the books. (Although I don't have to.)

Best wishes for a successful school year.

e-mail: acannon@desnews.com