The kids are back in school and the sun is shining. The saying, “Better late than never” doesn’t help. As we head into the middle of September, it’s too late, baby, it’s too late.

It is one of the risks of summer in Western Washington. Often enough summer doesn’t arrive until after the Fourth of July. Sometimes it doesn’t arrive at all.

Such was the feeling this season. Despite the patches of pleasantness and the sunshine amid the gloom this week, there just isn’t time left to satisfy our easily satiated craving for sun and heat, not to mention the needs of our local crops (See story, A1).

But those of us born and bred in mildew corner have a phrase to set our minds at ease, a cliché that comes in handy when contemplating the weather or the state of Seattle sports:

There’s always next year.