SUMMERTIME!
summer is here and the heat is upon us
don't expect august to be any cooler
things here on the east coast are a little different, well different from the western states
here in the east we have humidity
humidity and all of its splendor
in dc it is bangkok hot
sadly we lack the good grace to embrace it with the Songkran Festival
instead we just complain
we bitch and we moan
everyone grumbles about like they had not expected it
like a hot humid dc summer is something new and different
it gets ugly...real ugly
ac in dc is a must
on an average day I must change my clothes 5 or 6 times
if we don't have the ac going I am sweating in the shower
when I go to towel off I never get dry
when I go to brush my teeth, the tooth paste comes out as a liquid
out the front door and I am soaked with sweat before I get off my front porch
it is miserable
but it is home
home sweat home
 
embrace the summer and all of its splendor
sure spring and fall are the pinicale seasons
spring with the cherry blossoms and fall with the foilage
I think fall was on a tuesday last year and spring lasted for a wednesday and a thursday this year
we are not here for the climate
for many of us I am not sure why we are here
(here....not as why am I here on this planet, but why am I here in dc)
I am here because my family is here
here is home
night riding is one of the best answers to this heat and humidity
it is a few degress cooler and the air is not quite as thick
that trip to Patapsco showed that you do not need to get to far out of the city to find a pleasant oasis

so enjoy the summer
grab a watermelon take a bite and spit some seeds
eat a bussel of steamed crabs
go to the beach, any beach
jump in the pool any pool, dc has countless public pools
pool hopping may be gone with the era of Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn
Carl Rowan marked the end of that era when he shot and wounded some local high school boys cooling off in his pool without invite
leap off a cliff into the Potomac at Great Falls
find that hidden rope swing at Brickyard Road
rent a sea kayak a Bell Haven Marina from Chip who lives in his van down by the river
or head to Fletcher's boat house or Swain's lock for a canoe instead
enjoy the long days
put on some bug spray
don't forget the sun screen
splurge and order the Key Lime Pie
take an evening stroll to your local ice cream parlor
road trip, then road trip again
splash in the river
go tubing at Harper's Ferry
enjoy summer while it is here
the dark days of winter will be here soon enough to give everyone something different to complain about