Everyone seems to have their summer “Happy Place.” For several of my friends it’s on their boats, out in the beautiful waters of Long Island, and feeling the breeze in their hair. For others, it’s on the beach, at a cabana, enjoying the smell of the sea air and feeling the sand between their toes.   For me, my summer “Happy Place,” is in my backyard, sitting on my lounge chair by my pool, enjoying a trashy novel. And what makes it even better is a view of my husband at the bar-b-que cooking dinner.

About a week after Father’s Day, tree dropping that require frequent if not daily sweeping, virtually stops; it “allows” me to drop a fresh layer of red mulch in our yard. It gives a nice look to the yard.

Here's a did you know... July 1st is International Joke Day.    It was started in 1994 by Wayne Reinagel, an author and graphic artist who wanted to bring some levity to the halfway point of the year. He was known mostly for pulp fiction, but did publish some books of jokes. He wanted people around the world to share their favorite jokes and celebrate with laughter.   So here's a couple to start us off:   A horse walks into a bar and the bartender says "Why the long face?"  

I admit it, I’m so tired of wearing a mask!Forget about forgetting to carry one.

Summer dining. Eating outdoors. A phenomenon born of the pandemic that seems to have caught on.On streets and in parking lots. The views vary. The background noise drowns out the dinner conversation.Eating outdoors. The reasons vary. Safety. Romantic.

School’s out and the studios start rolling out the movies that they hope will grab our attention. But, with streaming so available, will people still head out to the theaters?  “Top Gun Maverick”, “Jurassic World Dominion”, “Lightyear”, and “Elvis” are battling for our attention and dollars.  So far, Tom Cruise has delivered big numbers and lots of attention. “Jurassic” and “Lightyear” have been disappointments. And, “Elvis” has just opened this past weekend.  

We have one and I have often cursed it.  That tree takes up a good part of our back yard.  Swing set?  No room.  A pool?  The whole neighborhood would have been disrupted.  In fact, I have always been convinced that our house, actually our entire neighborhood, was planned around that tree.

It was my father’s birthday last week. My father died several years ago but his birthday still causes me to take some time to pause and remember.    The first thing I always do on his birthday is to call my brother and sister. We find comfort in talking about my father with one another and exchanging stories and memories.