Summer lovin'

I love summer

Here are some things I love about summer:

Late sunsets in the city. I love how you can sit outside in that post-heat cool and watch the sky turn from orange to blue. I love to take a break from making dinner, step out of the kitchen onto my cemented back yard and hear the faint noises of families at home chatting or cooking coming from the houses nearby.

Lunches outside. During the winter it’s a discipline to bring my lunch and eat outside in the park behind my office. I often look for excuses to go to a café and find the cheapest thing that will buy me a cozy seat indoors. But just earlier this week I had to buy lunch and I couldn’t make myself stay in the café for more than a half hour before the idea of the sun and a bench under a tree lured me back outside.

Swimming. It’s a comfort, uh, sport for me (is there such a thing as a comfort sport?) But with the Oxy students gone for the summer, the school pool is usually empty and a wonderful place to go on a Saturday afternoon.

Less traffic. Schools are out! People are on vacation! My commute is definitely 15 minutes shorter this time of year.

Summer reading. I used to inhale books like nobody’s business. Nowadays I usually have about 5 started and I’m lucky if I get around to finishing 2. So far I’m almost through Hawaii’s Story and The Soloist is on deck.

Pace. Everything seems to slow. Naps under a fan are necessary. People seem to gather often and linger longer.

Why can't it always be summer?