Idyllic Day

There's been a bit of a hot spell recently here in the 'Burgh, and I've been trying to be a good sport about it and not complain too much. What's the sense in complaining about the weather (Should we talk about the weather? Sorry - I couldn't resist the R.E.M. reference)? We all know it's hot. If I couldn't handle climate extremes I'd have bought a one-way ticket to San Diego ages ago. Anyway, the stickiness has not been ideal, particularly when there's no air conditioning to offset it. For the record, there is a window unit still keeping it real in the recesses of our closet and I'd like to be a trooper this summer and not break it out. After all, we are blessed to live in a first-floor dwelling where the builder, back in the '20s, had the foresight to go light on the windows (ie. it's cooler than it could be), and I believe that the heat becomes that much more oppressive when you get too accustomed to basking in the frigid, dry air of the old AC. I'll be the first to say that I'm a complainer of the highest order, and on summer trips back to Maryland when I was living in Maine (or coming from Alaska), the stifling 82 degrees at which my folks keep their house could get to be too much to bear. But in the interest of continuing to keep our 'lectric bill rock-bottom low and letting our bodies adapt to the changing seasons as nature intended, I'm going to try my best to keep my yap shut and make the best of it.

All of that said, today was not at all unpleasant. Quite the contrary. I can't stay inside today. First thing this morning Olive and I set out on a brisk run through East Liberty to hit up Whole Foods and the Trek Store, since Buggy was in need of more Amande almond milk yogurt and a new bike helmet. She needed a nap as soon as we got home, but I sat on the front steps reading and working a little of the New York Times crossword puzzle while she snoozed. Upon waking, I plopped her sweet new helmet on her melon and we took off en vélo to the park where Buggy trotted around the fountain, played on the playground, and laughed maniacally at the geese down at the pond. I'm sitting out on the steps again as I type, loving the cool breezes that sail past. There's not a cloud in the sky on this perfectly clear day, aaand I just received word from Lisa, my boss, that I can take the evening off! This means I'll be able to squeeze in a little bit of time at the garden where the goal is to place a row of sugar snap peas between two rows of white Russian kale, right before jetting off to catch the opening night of Noah and Nina's performances in Alice in Wonderland.

One more thing worth mentioning: Last night Katrina and I went to see Cirque du Soleil. Photographing the show was strictly forbidden, so I've got nothing but some lovely shots of Kat to show for the evening (and the little mayfly she named Evinrude that lit upon her bosom during intermission), but it was fantastic. Our minds were sufficiently blown to shreds.