Monday, July 5, 2010

I'm sitting here quietly getting used to the idea that I have to get up and go to work tomorrow.  I have had a wonderfully restful weekend.

On Sunday, we went to visit some friends for a cook out.  Pk's friend is an FBI agent and his brothers are( or were) Marines.  And they're all Catholics.  As Pk put it, "they never do anything inappropriate".  They're a great bunch of people, friendly and welcoming.  It was a little surprising to see one of the small boys walk a little away from where most of the adults were sitting and pull down his bathing suit and urinate on the ground.  Facing the adults.  He was old enough to know better but everyone seemed to find nothing strange about it.  It's not my yard but I would have thought someone would have told the little boys to find a more private spot to pee.  It must be the accepted practice because one of the other little boys did the same thing a little later. 

It startled me and was just a little odd.

We planned to go to the lake today but we had an alternate plan in case we didn't get in.  We made sandwiches the night before and stocked the cooler with everything but the ice.  We left the house at 8:30 and were on our way to get ice when Pk said, "I wonder what time the lake opens?"  We looked it up on the iphone (it's amazing how handy it comes in sometimes) and I learned that the park opened but no swimming until 10.  We didn't want to get there too early so we had breakfast at McDonald's and then got on the road. 

We got to the lake before 9:30 and were able to get in and set up our umbrellas and chairs.  It was so bright and sunny and hot.  (We heard that the lake reached capacity at 9:15 on the Fourth).  It got crowded quickly but not nearly as crowded as I expected.

We stayed most of the day, going into the lake when the sun got too hot and enjoying the laziness of the day.  The lake was really warm on the top and very cold on the bottom.  It felt really refreshing and wonderful. 

We are predicted to have hot hot days for the rest of the week.  It reminds me of summers when I was a kid.  I remember one summer when we played Monopoly all summer.  Every day. (I don't know why but I remember it vividly).  One summer we roller skated every day.  Remember these skates?  They tightened onto your shoes with a key.  I can remember the noise the metal wheels made as we made our way down the sidewalk.  You could hear your friends coming from a long way away!

It didn't matter how hot it was, we were outside running around and playing.  Air conditioning was almost unheard of.  These days we don't seem to deal with the heat as well.  Pk and I have been leaning on the a/c to make sure we get to sleep at night. 

Work will be a challenge this week.  Individuals who take psychotropic meds are supposed to be careful in the sun and heat so many of our people will cancel appointments.  And I can't blame them.  I take medications that make me more susceptible to sunburn but I don't seem to learn.  I put on #45 spf sunblock today but still have a red face.  And I wore a hat and sat in the shade of the umbrella.  I should probably not have stayed out in the sun quite as long.

But it was sooooo nice.

I hope you all had a good weekend and are now having a stress free week!

8 comments:

amy said...

Yes! I remember those skates!

We usually avoid the beach on holidays but took a chance today, seeing as how maybe not *everyone* had the day off. The lot opens at 9. We were there at 9:30 and the first lot was full. I've never arrived to find that lot full before! But the second lot is not a far walk, either. They actually planned parking pretty well there.

Good luck with your re-entry to work. I hope it's a light week.

Galad said...

I had those skates too. The key was on a shoe lace around my neck so I wouldn't lose it :-)

I live near a lake and we go nowhere near it on holidays. We used to the kids down there for the fireworks and had a great time. Now we watch from the patio and go back in to the air conditioning.

Sounds like you had a lovely day.

Saren Johnson said...

We ran up to McCall on the 3rd. The place was packed. People were everywhere. We stayed long enough to do some yarn shopping (place was empty) and eat lunch. The plan was to stay over night, but it was just too busy.

roxie said...

You were so smart to get to the lake early. What a glorious way to spend a day. Imaginge how awful it would be if they didn't have a limit on the number of folkks who can show up?

Yeah, I remember helping my friend turn hay bales when it was 101 in the shade and we were out in the full sun. And we didn't notice that we were dying of the heat.

Experimental Knitter said...

We stayed indoors all weekend; DH refused to be out and about. Now we're worried about brownouts.
BTW, the best sun protective clothing I've found (I've had dysplastic moles) is by Sun Precautions. Love their hats. I've gone to the desert in summer wearing the clothing- no burns.
Stay cool!

Anonymous said...

your heat wave has made the news over here, which is funny really cos its like that every summer here. being near water is a great way to deal with it. im wearing three items of hand knits today in case you were missing the cold!

Jeanne said...

Sounds like you had a nice weekend - and the lake sounds wonderful!

I do remember playing Monopoly for an entire summer - and I swear it was the same game!

Have a good week!

Olivia said...

I had skates like that too, although I think the wheels were rubber. I remember desperately wanting boot skates, and I ended up buying some with my pocket money, out of the classifieds in the newspaper.

It's something about the long summer holidays as a kid - it's like the same day over and over again!

Happy Sunday!  I am sitting here working on my sweater made with the cashmere yarn my husband gave me for my birthday last year. I’m further...