happy first day of summer!

Yesterday was incredibly hot (at least 90 degrees) which produced quite a few complaints from this little apartment and so we three (Tanner's friend Ron stayed the night) went to the beach to cool off for a bit before Tanner had to go to work. We went to our rocky section and we all waded in up to our ankles while we adjusted to the jarringly cold temperature. At least that's how it felt to me. Tanner was the first to get up to his waist and then he slowly sank in the water onto a large rock and let the coldness creep up to his neck. Even he had to admit that the water was cold, although on his almost-burnt shoulders it felt cooler than normal. Ron went in almost as far, I think, and I surprised myself by wading up to my knees. That's big for me! Even just being in the water that far cooled me off and I was so happy we were there. There wasn't anyone around us but the sandy part of the beach looked packed. It was great having some quiet time. And there were so many boats on the water! I wish so badly we knew someone with a boat, preferably a sailboat, so we could've really been on the water.

Last night as I waited for Tanner to get back from work I had all the lights in the apartment turned off except one and tried to stay as cool as possible. I had opened a couple windows and was killing off the bugs as they zoomed around me. In the silence between the songs I was playing I heard the night insects outside. You know, all of the sounds that confirm that it's a warm summer night. It mostly makes me think of the Adirondacks and how much I love the summer there. It's by far my favorite season. Fall is beautiful but much too short and winter is too long and intense. Spring is hardly what people assume and more like mud season. But summer is it. It was so wonderful being there for my birthday and I wished we had more time to spend there. If there's any possibility that I can go back before the weather turns, I absolutely will. But for now I'll make the most of my first summer in Portland and look for all the Adirondack-like feelings I can find.