End of summer Labor Day marks closing time for the lake that we frequent, and usually, we'll have an end-of-summer cookout and stay until the very end, saying goodbye to all of the beach club friends we've enjoyed this year and in years past. But the forecast for Labor Day is downright horrible, so we moved the festivities to today, held our traditional birthday party for my youngest grandson, and spent as much time as humanly possible in the water. My "job," as the aquatic grandpa, is to throw the kids—mine, and anyone else's who'd like to join in—backwards, forwards, and even off my shoulders. Each year, I wonder, when the lake opens for business on Memorial Day weekend, if I'll still have the strength to serve as human hurler. So far, I continue to be up to the task, even though the kids are a year old, and bigger. In a few days, the swimming floats, so familiar to this swimmer, will be safely stored for the winter and quiet will reign. I'll have a year to rest my catapault, er, back, and get into shape for another season.