It’s summer today That’s the real deal, I have to say. It’s 78 degrees today. When I lived in Miami, this would be an occasion to turn the air conditioning down to Low. We used to say the mark of someone brought up in South Florida was putting on a sweater at 70 degrees, just because you can. Pretty much the same in good old Scaremont, as well. But here, it’s like everyone has gone crazy, me included. I hung my laundry to dry and got a smoothie. It’s not over eighty, and yet I am dressed scandously to cope with the heat. For me, of course, this translates to an ankle-length skirt, sandals, and the top buttons of my shirt open to reveal a cami underneath. I am not always shy about revealing my arms, but this is a very scandalous cami, so it needs something over it. But still! My toe job looks pretty good too, I have to say. I’m thinking of wearing something slightly scandalous to a party tonight, as well. You know, like a shirt with a v-neck.
Did somebody say party? Why yes! During my grad program, I had nine horrible classes and three excellent ones. One professor, the fantastic Ed, taught all three of those classes. Upon handing back the the first paper I wrote for him, he said, “I really like your writing. it’s much more coherent than when you talk in class.” He was great. Of course, he left the school and is currently living and teaching some other lucky social work students in Kansas. Our class was devastated when he left, and so, apparently, was the class after us, because they invited him to be the graduation speaker this year. So there’s a party for him tonight. There’s another social worker barbecue this Saturday and then also a solstice party Saturday night. I feel so popular.
I saw the eclipse yesterday Carl called me from his bike to tell me how to make a pinhole camera out of a piece of tinfoil. I saw a little crescent on a piece of white paper. It was very nice, and I felt very Mr. Science.
I have this great new decorating idea Here’s where a digital camera would come in handy. Okay, picture a living room, rectangular in shape. The top halves of the long walls are bent in. Wait…take your hands and put them in front of you, fingers pointed up, like you’re making a goal for soccer, and then bend your fingers in at the first knuckles. Not at the wrists, the knuckles! Okay, that’s my living room. At your right hand are some lovely built-in bookshelves, full of books. At your left hand is the futon. Now, here’s where my powers of description are going to come up short: I used to have this big Indian-print tapestry thing (have I mentioned I am still decorating like I live in a dorm?) pinned up on that wall, behind the futon. It followed the curve of the wall (bend your hands!) and it looked pretty good. Spare but rich, I thought. I have finally given up putting all my Dead Lady posters (i.e. Pre-Raphaelite reproductions bought at the annual campus poster sale) on the walls, and I thought a textile might look nice there. It looked fine. Warmed the room up. But then yesterday, I had this big idea, and accordingly pulled it down and washed it, which it highly needed. I went to the U Bookstore today, and bought a couple of sheets of GORGEOUS “art paper” from Nepal…you know, the kind that’s really thick and it’s got rose petals or whatever embedded in it. Except I got some that has those gold skeleton leaves on it, and you have to believe me when I tell you how pretty it is. That’s it! That’s what I’m putting on the wall! Isn’t that exciting! Aren’t you glad you went to the trouble of envisioning my living room now!
I’m going to get my bookstore patronage refund this year I told you about this before, remember? Well, if you’re an alum association member, you get it, and I am, so I do. I just sold a couple of books today at one of the used bookstores on the Ave, and bought, as is my wont, a book with some of my proceeds. Have you been keeping up with my Summer Reading List? Well, if so, you know I just read A Year in Provence and was joking that Under The Tuscan Sun was next, in the Financially-Independent-Anglo-Saxons-Go-And-Live-Somewhere-European-With-Rolling-Vistas,-Quirky-Locals,-and-Vibrant,-Sun-Drenched-Food Genre. Guess what I happened to see while they were looking at my books?
That “It Just Takes Some Time” song “A little bit, little bit, la la la la some. thing. else, everything, everything will be all right, all right. ” You know the one I mean, right? On your local pseudo-alternative station. I think it’s the greatest summer driving time since the Steal My Sunshine song. I’m so ready to be warm again!