The Thick of the Summer, Before the Sleeping Gets Terrible

We’re in the thick of summer, but thankfully, we haven’t gotten into the mugginess and terrible sleeping weather that lies ahead of all of us. I just watched my neighbors walking by, holding a leash and being pulled along by their black mongrel. One of the middle-aged men was shirtless, the other wore a skimpy tank top. Nobody has ever asked to see that, have they? Oh well, they’re good neighbors and so we’ll let it all go for the sake of peace.

I ran today, better than I’ve run in months. Along my usual track that takes me up our dead-end street, then across through the woods, and then down along Rte 116 until I cross the Connecticut river. I never walked once, and this is a first. I am too easy on my runner self–so this time I soldiered on, running and running all the way to the Sunderland crossroads and then to Millstone. No walks. That felt good, I managed just under 11 minutes a mile, which would never win any race but is a personal best. Coming home sweat-soaked is all I am in this for.

It’s another short week, I am getting lots and lots of work done because I have to. On Friday Mary and I will drive to Warren Rhode Island and board our tiny cruise ship, the MS Grand Caribe. There will be 79 other passengers aboard, and 17 crew, for our week-long cruise up the coast. First stop is Cuttyhunk, then Martha’s Vineyard, then Nantucket, then New Bedford and then Newport. We’ve signed up for all of the totally touristy day trips that the ship offers, and I can’t wait to see what it’s like to see all of these familiar places from the harbor, not from the street. The cruiseline is Blount Small Ship Adventures, during the winter these same boats ply Caribbean waters.

Another summer, just got some sweet corn and blueberries from Atlas Farm. The neighbors were mowing their lawn, and it made me look at mine and think, “another thing do to before I leave.”