Summer Breeze

The air conditioner was still on this morning when I woke up...but the moment I stuck my nose out the door, I knew there was no reason to keep it on. The weather was stunning. It had to be at least lower-mid 80s, breezy, and sunny as could be, with no humidity in sight. Perfect day for running chores and errands.

I went to the Acme first. Picked up my two vacation paychecks, then did my grocery shopping. In addition to food (yogurt, I Can't Believe It's Not Butter, fish, shrimp, beef for stews, the Fiber One Granola Bars that were on a really good sale), I bought a Finding Nemo book and two Hot Wheels cars for my nephew Skylar, whose birthday is tomorrow, and a new pair of sunglasses for me. (My old pair got really scratched in my purse.)

Headed home after I finished shopping. My ride felt great, too. It was so nice, I decided to bake again after I put my groceries away. I just ran out of the Peach-Blueberry Muffins; had the last one with my shrimp and tomato-cucumber salad lunch. I did a variation on them, but replaced the blueberries with one of the small yellow apples I got at the farm market. They seemed to come out well enough, not too sweet.

I went across the street to Newton River Park after I left CVS. I'm so glad I went for that walk. It was a wonderful day for it. Everything is in bloom, thanks to all the storms we've had over the past few weeks. I rode the slide with the rollers and landed flat on my rear on the soft dirt ground, laughing my head off. I saw gorgeous wildflowers in beautiful shades of pink, peach, magenta, and purple. I saw a tree with strange, long seed pods that were woody and tough. The looked like giant green beans hanging off of the tree! I saw fat pale green-yellow pods with spiny coverings. I saw downy thistles being visited by enormous, mutant-sized bees.

I was hot and thirsty when I arrived back on West Clinton Avenue. I stopped at Leo's Yum Yums for something to quench my dry throat. I treated myself to a small Orange Vanilla Yum-Yum (a kind of creamier water ice) while watching an adorable little boy eat his chocolate soft-serve cone with his mother and grandmother.

After I finished, I went next-door to Doria's Deli. I picked up a half-pound of turkey and chatted with the owner. He suggested taking the NJ Transit River Line Train to Burlington City or Trenton as a day trip. I may look into that; it's something different, anyway.

Spent the rest of the day at home. I really needed to do the dusting, and the porch needed to be swept badly, too. As I was standing outside sweeping, I thought...wouldn't this be a nice night to eat outside? Which I did. I enjoyed my Chicken Taco with roasted fresh peppers and gray squash sauteed in white cooking wine outside. I haven't eaten outside this summer because it's been too hot. I've missed it. It felt so nice out there, with the lovely breeze.