Bracing for summer
The interminable Rochester winter is over. It would appear summer is actually going to happen this year, if it isn't happening already. Let's say it's still spring. The backyard is abundant with plant life—tall grass and various weeds and other greenery, as well as the occasional orange or pink flower. Temperatures have climbed into the 70s during the day and are mild enough at night that we've been leaving the door open while we watch the NBA Playoffs or Penny Dreadful, drinking wine or Labatt Blue Light Lime with a side of bourbon. The neighbors, Mike and Peter, have taken up partial residence on their porch, especially at night, ensconced in comfy recliners sharing a bottle of wine.
Allison has been going to the tanning salon a couple of times a week. She says it relaxes her, and I have no choice but to believe her, as I have never been. Watching Jersey Shore may have forever precluded me from doing so. I like tanning, but it strikes me as a strictly outdoor activity. Perhaps I should cut myself a towel-sized rectangle in the weeds behind the house and just lay out in the backyard sun. Get a nice base coat going before we go to the beach. I took a picture of myself in a sweet American flag tank top in the changing room at Marshall's yesterday. Allison was appalled, especially when I put the picture up on Facebook, but apart from the pale condition of my arms, I thought it looked great. In the end, I didn't buy it, that gloriously obnoxious Stars & Stripes tank—I'll guess just stick to my rotation of brightly colored V-neck T's from the Gap instead.
I'm getting antsy to have some more travel adventures. At this time last year, I was getting ready to set out on a major road trip, with my sights on Alaska, although of course I never actually made it that far. Hard to believe it's been a whole year since then—a whole year since I left New York City. But Allison is saving money, and we have a tentative plan: Asia in the fall. Until then, trips to Syracuse to see Bill Burr do standup, trips to Dotty's cottage on Lake Ontario, trips to New York and perhaps Chicago, or Michigan again. Camping in the Adirondacks. A road trip to the Democratic National Convention in Philly in July.
Allison is always dropping hints about what kind of house she'd like to live in someday, what kind of amenities it needs, etc. A large front porch for sitting and drinking beers. A deck in the back for grilling. A king-size bed. Perhaps a jacuzzi. It all sounds very nice, of course, though I'd rather wander for a good long while. Live in a crummy apartment in Kuala Lampur. A cabana on a beach in Thailand. Hotels across India.
Until then, it's Rochester summer life at my parents' house, and the backyard in all its glory.
