The sky is darkening. Thunder showers are predicted. I believe it this time. The rain will start light but is supposed to get heavy tonight. Rain is quite welcomed. My grass is barn hay. I hand water my deck flowers. It has been a long time since the last rain.

I am a prisoner of the AC. My house is delightfully cool while outside is humid and hot. The only problem is I have to keep the backdoor closed. I swear the dogs are conspiring against me. I have to get up and open the door to let them out and in. They know this. Sometimes they are out for a few minutes while other times they just stand on the deck and look around. I shut the door behind me but don’t close it completely. Nala will bang the door to summon me. Henry will just stand there so I have to keep checking for him. They’ll come in but want out minutes later. I curse all the way to the back door.

When I was a kid, summer was my favorite season. Every day was open to new discoveries, new adventures.

One summer I went to Girl Scout day camp. Camp Aleska was across the street from the zoo and up a dirt road. It was surrounded by huge trees, many of them big old pine. In the front were the spots for each age group. Each spot had a walkway with small rocks on each side and a picnic table. I was in the oldest group. Our site was the furthest away from the camp house. We did crafts, hiked and had swimming lessons. We sang. Girl Scouts always sing.

One summer I was a junior counselor. They gave me my own group. I had no adult leader. I had little kids, the children of the counselors. We sat on small chairs at tables under the trees right beside the lodge. I had to get creative. We drew, colored, played games, took short hikes, heard stories and we sang. At the end of camp, each unit had to present. My kids sang a song with hand gestures. We practiced every day. They forgot most of it anyway, but their cuteness saved them.

My dance card is empty until Monday. I figure the sloth in me will have full rein. I’m going to read and maybe vacuum when the dogs’ fur balls get to be a frightening size, like the monsters of a B science fiction movie along the lines of Attack of the Killer Tomatoes. I will watch movies and the Red Sox. I will eat popcorn and chocolate. I will wear my cozies all day. I will contentedly sigh a lot.