First Day of Summer Style. . .

The view from the front walk this morning.  Just look at that sky!  The lawn isn't too bad either.  The results of twice a week mowing with a mulching mower since mid-May and an application of Milorganite, a slow release organic fertilizer 10 days ago.  We've also had considerable rain this spring, which really helps grass, plants, and trees.

Today marks the official start of Summer!  Let's all leave behind the dark, dank, cynical, and nihilistic world of hard-boiled private detectives, scheming dames, and two-bit losers for just a minute and do The Snoopy Dance.  

The Grand Duchess continues to endure real hardship in The Pacific Theater.  She has had her obligatory volcano hikes and taken in a beach or two at sunset.  Her hiking boots were immaculate since I moisturized them before she packed.  Yesterday, she flew to another island where the actual conference takes place.  Opening convocations and related schmoozing were yesterday evening.  Time seems meaningless in this case since I can't even figure our what day it is in Hawaii.

Meanwhile, back in real life, The Young Master and I have a largely unstructured day planned.  I'll mow after 3pm once the sun is lower in the sky, and we plan a bike ride around the neighborhood before dinner this evening.  Tour de Cul de Sacs as we refer to it.  Twice around the five or six cul de sacs and connecting streets that comprise our neighborhood takes an hour or so, an idea length of time in the saddle for a nine-year-old.  Very little traffic by that point in the day too.  

Afterward, father and son will split a pizza for dinner and see where the evening takes us.  No doubt, the latest Geronimo Stilton story will figure prominently before bedtime.  Tomorrow, our usual big weekend breakfast, followed by Tae Kwon Do -- he has his yellow belt test Monday evening next week -- and a piano lesson.  Otherwise, the weekend is wide open.  

Hear that?  Ah, Summer!

-- Heinz-Ulrich

 The upper half this bright, sunny, and cool summer morning, a seersucker number.

And the rather spindly lower half.  While I've got a pair of faded red shorts, one in olive green, and a couple of pairs in Madras patterns, most are in various shades of khaki, some with pleats, some without.  It's very easy to go to my dresser in the morning and toss on comfortable summer gear with almost no thought involved.  Dressing in a reasonably presentable way need not be complicated, guys.  Yes.  I know.  All snide thoughts about bird legs are acknowledged and excused.