Thursday Night Concert

Last night as we sat outside, on the edge of Lake Anne at our favorite Greek restaurant, the heat of the day retreated into manageable breezes. Professional clothes morphed into sandals and filmy fabrics. Cold sauvignon blanc went down smooth. Lamb chops and mashed potatoes followed. But, best of all, we finished it all with strawberry gelatto and bluegrass. And two spoons.

Limitations

This morning as I was struggling through the already 83- degree, toxic air at 7:30 am, a squirrel hopped on the stone wall of the steps I was descending, sampered along the top, then hopped up on a low limb and lithely jumped from branch to branch.

I stared in envy and continued on my heavy path.  Higher form of life indeed!

Heavenly Breezes

The morning of my bookclub, the library was without a/c. Temps were to rise into the mid 90's. I set up two large fans and slanted the window blinds up. We were a bit moist but comfortable. Later, one lady commented, with surprise, how much the fan helped. I laughed, "We didn't always have a/c, you know!"

And suddenly, my thoughts flashed back to my mother with the wavy black hair, who sweated through Pennsylvania summers, washing, ironing, canning and freezing vegetables, cleaning, waxing floors, sweeping, cooking, baking, raising five children,  all to the music of humming slowly oscillating fans.

We were proud to handle a ninety minute discussions, fan-wise.

She managed a life that way.