Summer

I went for a walk today, probably for the last time this season. Tomorrow the temperature will rise into the 90's and probably stay there or close to it until October. I had expected this to happen a lot earlier, but I keep getting surprised by days in the low 80's. While today fit that description, with 56% humidity, you couldn't really call it cool. And even so, I was grateful for one more day to enjoy the activity. I will miss it. 

I went to town to purchase another of the medallions that I bought for Mollie for her birthday. I wrapped it in the same tissue paper that I had lined the gift bag in and she didn't see it. She threw it away. It was my fault. I should have tied a ribbon around it or done something else to make it more noticeable. I was glad that the bookstore had another one. I will give her the new one when I see her next month for the wedding. 

Afterward I went to the food court run by the university hospitality and food services college for a bite to eat. The overpriced sandwich that I chose was really good, but I doubt I will make it a regular haunt. There is just nothing like being overcharged for something to take the glamor out of it. I am slowly getting a feel of where to go out to eat. And while I complain about the cost, everything here is still so much less than what I was paying in Washington. But in Washington, I had all but given up on going out to eat. Here, I want to know what the good places are before someone comes to town and I have to experiment while I'm entertaining guests.

I should have done a few other errands while I was out and about, but I was tired and it was only getting warmer as the afternoon wore on. I arrived home exhausted and sweaty enough to smell like a goat. I have learned to make some very decent peach lemonade tea and adding a pinch of salt to it makes a homemade Gatorade type drink. It was very refreshing when I came in out of the heat. After drinking a glass of it I took a cool shower. That went a long way to help me feel human again.

For the rest of the summer, if I want to go into town, I will need to book an appointment with the public transportation service or pay for Uber. I never did get over to the rec center or the senior center across the street to find out about the availability of exercise classes or gym memberships. Though I did confirm with my insurance that they are listed as in network sources. If I could figure out how to become a morning person, I could walk in the early mornings before it gets hot. I would enjoy that much more than pounding a treadmill in a gym. But being a morning person eludes me.

I spent the evening finishing The Lord of the Rings. I'm glad I finished it, but I fail to understand why it is such a cult classic. It was a good story, even if it was long winded. Though to me, it just didn't ring all the bells. And I thought the last two or three chapters could have been left off altogether. I am glad to have nothing more that I need to know about hobbits or orcs or goblins. Now I will have 4 days to read West with Giraffes for the book club on Tuesday. It is a short book and I'm sure that I can get it finished by then. The book club description says that we will have a thoughtful discussion of the story. I am fascinated to see what a thoughtful discussion will be. 

The wedding is a little more than three weeks away. All the drama is slowly building. I am working to keep myself out of the middle of it and it is difficult. I booked a hotel to stay in months ago. Mollie and Chris booked a room in the same hotel. Now we are told that it is an older hotel and maybe we should get a room in a newer hotel in a town that is farther away. I talked to Mollie, who is excited that there is a Waffle House across the street, and she agrees with me that we are staying a couple of nights, not moving in. Older will be fine as long as it is clean.  Denise wants everyone to get manicures together before the wedding. That is stretching our luck. Maybe we shouldn't do that. It might make us all miss the wedding. But you know, let's get together another time and enjoy something like that (btw, I hate manicures.) Karen wants everyone to meet up after the festivities are over to keep the party going. I really think that two days is enough of a party, but sure, let's all go over to Karen's house for cookies and coffee. I'll even bake a batch or two. The flowers that Karen planted for the wedding aren't doing so well with all the rain lately. Not my monkey; but have you tried Sam's Club or Costco. I hear they have a great flower selection. For that kind of thing I am putting my fingers in my ears and singing la-la-la. The biggest drama is that Tim and Emily still haven't found a place to live after the nuptials. Not my monkey, la-la-la. I'm sure that it will all get worse before the wedding actually takes place. That seems to be the way of weddings. I tell myself that this will be the last wedding for a while. And from what Jack tells me, that is likely to be a long while off. He just turned 18, I hope he keeps to that promise. And then there is Matt. But Matt abhors weddings almost as much as I do. If he ever gets married again, I'm likely to find out about it after the fact. And that will be enough of a wedding for me. 

It's summer. And after summer comes fall. I really like fall.