My Other Son

"May good fortune be with you and may your guiding light be strong."
- from the song, Forever Young

It is Sunday evening and I'm sitting and listening to the five boys assembled in our family room who are currently eating pizza and playing video games. They have gathered here to say farewell to Jonathan. He is leaving for Halifax in the morning to start school at Dalhousie. I love listening to the boys. I'm going to miss the sound of their antics as they laugh and joke, zinging one another with insults and jabs the way boys do. Next to Jacob's departure for Guelph next Saturday, the departure of Jonathan to Dal is the hardest one for me. I love this boy. He has spent a lot of time in our home these last years - enough that we often refer to our guest room as Jonathan's room. He has been on vacation with us every summer since the boys started high school. He calls me Mom.

On Friday, Jonathan's family invited we three to join them at the Granite Club for a family dinner. We had a wonderful time. They thanked us for the love and friendship we have extended to Jono these past years. Of course, we are the ones who are grateful. Jono and Jacob are only five days apart in age and Jono has been the perfect complement to our only child. I wanted a sibling for Jacob and I longed for another child to share my love with. I found that in the beautiful blonde boy Jacob brought home the night of eighth-grade graduation. I remember the night well. Ten boys came to our house for a sleep-over graduation party that started with a swim in our neighbours' pool. They were up all night playing and watching T.V. and they were very noisy. The noisiest one, by far, was Jono. At three o'clock in the morning I walked down the stairs to the downstairs family room, two floors below where I was trying to sleep and I told the kids to quiet down. But I couldn't be mad at them. They were being boys.

Now I shudder at the thought of the silence that will soon fill the house. I will be counting the days until Thanksgiving - the first time Jono will be home from school. I know his mom will want to keep him home every moment of that weekend but I know she won't. She is a good mom. She'll share him a little. In the meantime, I have a plan to send regular care packages and he has promised to call me and e-mail me often. He is my other son and I love him very much.

S.I.N.

"There is no sin except stupidity." - Oscar Wilde

I've just returned from taking Jacob to do the last formal piece of transitioning from kid to adult before he leaves for school next week. We went to a Service Canada office so Jacob could obtain a social insurance number. On Monday I took him to the bank and transferred his Youth Account into a Student Account. There is no bunny picture on his passbook this time. He also applied for a credit card. We were advised on Tuesday that his card was approved.

I don't know which of us is feeling more shell-shocked. Jacob tells me the responsibilities of adulthood weigh heavily on his mind. He doesn't want to make any mistakes. Somehow he thinks there is no allowance anymore for youthful indiscretions. He is a man now, fully accountable for his actions. I don't want to discourage his sense of accountability or responsibility, but I don't want him to be so hard on himself either. Over lunch today I told him he will make many mistakes - not just as an eighteen-year-old but as a fifty-four-year-old too. The secret is to own up to your mistakes, make amends where you can, learn from the experience, forgive yourself and move on. I suspect he's going to struggle with the "forgive yourself" part the most. He's entering a really exciting phase in his life. I remember the excitement that accompanied the transition from high school to university and moving away from home, though those two events didn't occur simultaneously for me. But I also remember the anxiety, the fear and the angst. I know he'll be okay. In his heart-of-hearts he knows that too. Transition is hard and not as abrupt as it might seem. He may have made the legal transition from boy to man last week when he turned eighteen, but there is still a boy dwelling somewhere in his man body.

Let's Go To The Ex

"What harm is there in making 100,000 people happy on a hot summer afternoon?"
-- Gordon McLendon

This glorious summer day found me at my first visit of the two-week season at the Canadian National Exhibition, aka, The Ex. I haven't missed an Ex season in all the thirty four years I've lived in Toronto, except for the year that Jacob was born. I usually go a few times each year, though a lot of people shake their heads and wonder why. Today I shared my visit with Nancy, Jacob and our dear friend Jonathon.

The Ex has changed a lot since I went the first time as a university student. There used to be lots of exhibits, entertainment and free samples. I remember that the grounds weren't spic and span and the crowds were heavy. Now the grounds are kept impeccably clean, the crowds are sparse, there are few exhibits, little entertainment and no free samples. And yet, several times a year I go. One thing there is to attract me, is a fabulous international market with many items to choose from across the spectrum of inexpensive trinkets to exquisite handmade pashminas. I do a lot of Christmas shopping at this market, so much so that I've developed a relationship with Hussein who comes each year to run the Kashmir booth. Every time I wear one of the beautiful wraps I have purchased from Hussein, I am inundated with questions about its origin. I have never seen these wraps sold anywhere in Toronto, at any price. I've bought beautiful silks and embroidered wools.

There are also retail store outlets at the Ex. Some great deals are to be found at The Bombay. And I bought three nice cookbooks for $10. Most of the others don't much interest me but today, Jacob managed to pick up three pairs of jeans and two cleverly sloganed shirts for a grand total of $40.

A buttered, roasted cob of corn, a visit to the farm pavilion to see the newborn pigs and goats, a stroll through the Laboratoire Garnier tent and a stop at the military compound rounded out the day.

Next week I will go back to accompany Jacob's friends Robbie and Matthew for their annual visit. While the boys do their thing, Nancy and I will comb the booths in the international market looking for just the right treasures to slip into some Christmas stockings in December. And we promised Hussein we would stop and share a cup of tea with him. He is a long way from home and seems very happy to see a friendly face he recognizes.

Ten-Toed Sloth

I've been feeling positively slothful these past few days. It's been an effort to do the basic housework and finish writing some policies and proposals that are due for my boards. So rather than work to write a clever entry in today's blog, I thought I would share a couple of poems about sloths. Enjoy.

The Sloth by Theodore Roethke

In moving-slow he has no Peer.
You ask him something in his Ear,
He thinks about it for a Year;

And, then, before he says a Word
There, upside down (unlike a Bird),
He will assume that you have Heard--

A most Ex-as-per-at-ing Lug.
But should you call his manner Smug,
He'll sigh and give his Branch a Hug;

Then off again to Sleep he goes,
Still swaying gently by his Toes,
And you just know he knows he knows.

The Sloth by Michael Flanders

A Bradypus or Sloth am I,
I live a life of ease,
Contented not to do or die
But idle as I please.
I have three toes on either foot
(Or half a doz. on both)
With leaves and fruits and shoots to eat...
How sweet to be a Sloth!

The world is such a cheerful place
When viewed from upside down,
It makes a rise of every fall,
A smile of every frown!
I watch the fleeting flutter by
Of butterfly or moth -
And think of all the things I'd try
If I were not a Sloth.

I could climb the very highest Himalayas,
Be among the greatest ever tennis players,
Always win at chess,
Marry a Princess,
Study hard and be an eminent professor,
Or I could be a millionaire,
Play the clarinet, travel everywhere,
Learn to cook,
Catch a crook,
Win a war then write a book
About it; I could paint a Mona Lisa,
Be another Caesar,
Compose an oratorio that was sublime...
The door's not shut
On my genius but -
I just don't have the time.

For days and days among the trees
I sleep and dream and doze,
Just gently swaying in the breeze
Suspended by my toes;
While eager beavers overhead
Rush through the undergrowth,
I watch the clouds beneath my feet...
How sweet to be a Sloth!

Storm Clouds and Rainbows

"If you want the rainbow, you've got to put up with the rain." - Dolly Parton

That was quite a storm we had last night. Merv and I went into a nice Italian restaurant on Yonge street just before the rain started. We stayed and watched the show nature put on for us until it was all done and it felt safe to head home. The rain and winds were violent - the sky an eerie green. I've only seen the sky that colour once before - many years ago when I was still living at home in Windsor and a tornado hit very close to my parents' home. I was not surprised to read in the newspaper this morning that a tornado touched down just north of the city with devastating results for many people.

When the storm ended in our part of the city, around 8:15, the sun began a valliant attempt to come out. We paid our bill and walked to the car. A glorious rainbow filled the evening sky. I look for rainbows all the time. When I'm in a bad space, worried or stressed, I believe my dad creates rainbows in my world. It may sound crazy, but we all have our nuttiness. My sisters think he sends them songs on the radio. That is their thing - rainbows are mine.

The morning of my first breast cancer surgery, we were required to arrive at the hospital by 7:00 A.M. It was November 9 and the sunrise was late. I was very nervous and tired having spent a sleepless night. I rose, bathed and dressed. Merv went downstairs and turned on the foyer chandelier. It was still pretty dark outside. When I left our bedroom to walk down the stairs, I looked down to see the stairs covered in rainbows. Somehow the interaction of the rising sun and the foyer chandelier had come together in perfect harmony to scatter the spectrum at my feet. I knew my dad was with me and I had the comfort that things would be alright.

There have been lots of other rainbows - a glorious one in the sky when I finished my walk at the Weekend to End Breast Cancer last year - a 60K walk made over two days spent almost entirely in the rain. A beautiful rainbow at the end of a challenging hike on a trail in B.C. A spectacular rainbow over the sea in Ireland. Last night, I saw the rainbow and heard my dad wish us a Happy 20th Anniversary. Okay, maybe I'm nuts. But maybe not.

White Lace Memories

A wedding anniversary is the celebration of love, trust, partnership, tolerance and tenacity. The order varies for any given year. ~Paul Sweeney

Twenty years ago on this date, Merv and I tied the knot. Our wedding didn’t go exactly as planned but it was absolutely perfect. Our plan was to marry in the garden of McLean House. A flute, violin, cello trio was playing as our guests gathered at the site of the wedding. My mom and dad would meet me at the bottom of the stairs in McLean House and walk me to the place where my handsome groom stood with the minister in the garden. A couple of minutes before the ceremony was to begin, the rain came. The wedding would take place in the living room instead. I found myself required to take the walk down the winding staircase in full view of our guests. My dress was long, my bouquet heavy. I was worried that I would trip. I didn’t know where Merv would be standing or where I would be walking. But it all unfolded perfectly. We were surrounded by the people we loved most. As soon as the ceremony was complete, the sun came out and continued to shine for the rest of the day.

Twenty years is a long time. By our first anniversary we had lost Merv’s dad. By our second anniversary we had Jacob. By our third, we had lost my father and both of my aunts. We have lived in three houses. We’ve faced life threatening illness. We’ve travelled to many places and held several jobs. We’ve known economic lows and economic highs. We’ve laughed and cried, loved and raged. And here we are. Twenty years later. Older. Wiser. Still married.

Happy Anniversary Hon.

Voting and X-rated Movies

"What is an adult? A child blown up by age." - Simone de Beauvoir

I returned about an hour ago from my jaunt to North Bay taken so I could celebrate Jacob's 18th birthday with him. When my friend Gail called and spoke with him on Monday, she asked him what he had the ability to do on Monday that he didn't have on Sunday. He answered that he could now vote and attend X-rated movies. The 18th birthday does grant a few more things than that. Jacob can also now sign a contract, get a credit card, join the military and be prosecuted for criminal acts in adult court. It really boils down for him though to voting. He's not much interested in the rest. Looks like he might have his chance to cast his first vote this fall if the political pundits are correct about what's coming.

Nancy joined me for the four hour drive. We arrived at the beach where Jacob is staying with his friend Robbie and Robbie's family around 2:30 on Monday afternoon. Jacob seemed happy to see us though I suspect he was as happy to see the new laptop I brought him as he was to see me. On Monday evening I took everyone to dinner at a lovely restaurant called Churchill's. According to it's web page, Churchill's has been rated among the top fifty restaurants in Canada. After a nice dinner, Nan and I headed back to our hotel.

On Tuesday we joined the gang for brunch in the morning and took our leave of North Bay at about 4:00 P.M. We stopped for the night in Huntsville, enjoyed a good fish dinner at a cafe on the river and settled in for a night of T.V. and puzzles. We hit the Huntsville shopping strip this morning, scoring some real finds in the Salvation Army store where Nan picked up a great old chair and a large box of porcelain dishes, in combination destined to become one of her famous mosaic china furniture pieces. We moved on to Bracebridge for an unproductive shopping expedition and then made the drive back to Toronto.

I wonder if many years from now, when Jacob has voted in many elections and will perhaps be facing the 18th birthday of his own child, he will remember when his mom made the long drive to ensure she could spend his special day with him. I hope he will treasure the memory as much as I will. I don't know how Jacob will process or store these events. What I do know for sure though, is he will never wonder whether he was well and truly loved.

Comedy and Casino - A Day in Niagara

"Power does not corrupt man; fools, however, if they get into a position of power, corrupt power." - George Bernard Shaw -

We spent a really fun day in Niagara-on-the-Lake and Niagara Falls yesterday. We started our adventure with lunch at an outdoor cafe on the lovely main street in Niagara-on-the-Lake. A cheese plate and some hummus and tempinade accompanied by a first rate mojito, made for the perfect pre-theatre lunch. Then it was off to the Shaw Festival to see Born Yesterday, a play written by Garson Kanin in 1945. The play is a comedy about political corruption in the United States shortly after the end of World War II. It is very witty but also written with compelling characters and insights that are as poignant today as they were in 1945. The acting was brilliant and the Festival Theatre served a great ice wine martini at intermission. All in all a really fun afternoon.

After a little shopping we were off to Niagara Falls. We had a nice room with a whirlpool tub, a comfy king size bed and a view of the falls in the Marriott. Neither of us met with any success in the casino and we had a pretty lousy dinner in a restaurant in the casino complex. But still, we had fun. The light show on the falls was lovely to watch when we returned to our room. We enjoyed a leisurely morning before heading back to Toronto via Niagara-on-the-Lake where we again stopped to enjoy a late breakfast and a little more shopping. Before hitting the highway we stopped to buy local Niagara peaches and apricots.

As the last weekday, this feels a bit like the end of our stay-cation. But the weekend holds lots of activity for us including golf for Merv, a bat-mitva and an afternoon with friends at their cottage. The week has been a great success. We've had a taste of life as empty-nesters and we've had a lot of fun.

The Moody Blues

Nights in white satin,
Never reaching the end,
Letters I've written,
Never meaning to send.
- The Moody Blues -

Yesterday, our stay-cation found us at Ontario Place. The tickets we had for an 8 o'clock performance of The Moody Blues granted us free admission to the grounds of Ontario Place. We decided to make a day of it and enjoy the sunshine and warm weather at the lake. An unpredicted afternoon shower caught us a bit off-guard but when the sun came out, it was hot and delicious.

What wasn't delicious, however, was Ontario Place. We could find only one sit-down restaurant with okay food. We sat on the patio among the peeling paint and the tall weeds in the patio cracks and garden. Cinesphere was the only attraction we could find that offered anything for guests over twelve-years-old. The movie "Hurricane on the Bayou" was good, if somewhat depressing. The $15.50 price tag for our two admissions to Cinesphere bought us forty-five minutes of entertainment. We were at a loss as to what we would do for the next three-and-a-half hours. So, we walked, found a bar and sat down to people watch.

The Ontario Place crowd is pretty interesting. The daytime crowd is mostly young families. About a third of the women (and some of the girls as young as seven) wore Islamic head coverings. Some sported coats to their ankles. One was draped in full cover, with only a small slit for her eyes. The men and boys accompanying these women and girls mostly wore shorts and t-shirts. I saw one orthodox Jewish family - men with yarmulkes and prayer shawls tied at their waists, women in long sleeves, skirts to their ankles and bad wigs. No matter which faith these people are practicing, it's got to be awfully hot to be a woman.

Once the evening hours came, the geezers began arriving to see The Moody Blues. Lots of them sported t-shirts from previous concerts. I suspect some of them were purchased in the 60s. The vast majority of the crowd was pushing sixty. I don't think I've ever seen so many grey ponytails on men in one place. Merv was convinced we were younger than most of the crowd but I think it's all in the eyes of the beholder. Those people were probably looking at us and thinking we are much older than they are.

The Moody Blues played a great concert to a well behaved and appreciative crowd. At one point during the first half, someone lit a funny smelling cigarette (apparently thinking this is still 1969) but security and the police intervened quickly and the smell disappeared after only a few minutes. The band played all of their classics. When they played "Knights in White Satin" they brought the house down. The concert ended and we were home and in bed by 11. A perfect evening for geriatric hippies.

Fun in the City

"If a movie is described as a romantic comedy you can usually find me next door playing pinball." - George Carlin

Merv and I went to see a movie last night called The Ugly Truth. The film stars Katherine Heigl and Gerard Butler. It's very funny - a romantic comedy sentimental enough to appeal to women with a bit of a crude edge to appeal to men. We both enjoyed it which is a bit of a rare occurrence for us. Merv and I have very different taste in movies. A few weeks ago we joined some friends at Johnny Depp's latest film, Public Enemies. Merv thought it was great. I didn't sleep all night. While he was away in July, I spent an afternoon with Harry, Ron and Hermione at Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. I loved it. I'll definitely be adding that one to my DVD collection.

I really like going to the movies. I like watching the film on the big screen, eating popcorn and watching the trailers. I don't like the price of drinks and snacks - I always feel like I'm being robbed. Last night Merv wanted a combo of nachos and a drink. There was a special to add on a hot dog for $2, so I ordered the dog and a small drink. First the kid behind the counter argued with me that I couldn't have the hot dog for $2 because it could only be added to a combo at that price and as he knew Merv wasn't going to eat the hot dog, he couldn't add it to the combo for me to eat. A few terse words from me helped him to change his mind. But a few minutes later he told me the hot dogs wouldn't be ready for another twenty minutes so I was out of luck. A few corn chips with salsa and cheese, a small popcorn (for which I could not get any salt) and two small drinks came to $20. Absolute robbery.

Today we entertained ourselves with lunch in the Distrillery District. We enjoyed some great micro-brewery beers and walked around the galleries. Another wonderful way to spend a vacation day without leaving the city.

Vacationing at Home

"The alternative to a vacation is to stay home and tip every third person you see." ~Author Unknown

Merv and I are vacationing this week - at home. I cannot remember the last time we did this. It surely hasn't happened in the last ten years. It has been our tradition since Jacob was small to take a March break vacation at a southern destination and a summer vacation somewhere in Canada. Last summer we broke with that tradition slightly and vacationed in Ireland. We spent ten days in Hawaii last March and left our summer vacation plans loose. Merv and Jacob spent a boys week in Havelock in July and Jacob planned a two-week trip to North Bay with his friend's family. He left on Saturday. It turned out that the only other week Merv could take this summer was this week. So there will be no family vacation this summer.

Nonetheless, Merv and I are having a holiday. We spent the weekend with friends in Collingwood. Today and tomorrow, Merv is dabbling in the post window replacement work in the house. We're dining out and planning to catch a movie. Wednesday we will head down to Ontario Place to enjoy the sunshine and then to see the Moody Blues in concert. Thursday will take us to the Shaw Festival in Niagara-on-the-Lake for an afternoon matinee and then to Niagara Falls for dinner, a visit to the casino and a night at the Marriott. Saturday we will attend a Bat Mitzva and Sunday we will visit friends at their cottage north of Peterborough. I'm really enjoying this time. There is very little packing to do; no long hours spent at the airport and the price is right. The bed is really comfortable and the coffee tastes great.

Pehaps when Claudia (our cleaning lady) comes on Wednesday, I'll slip her a few extra bucks and ask her to leave some mints on the pillows.

It's Party Time (Again)

"Drink, and dance and laugh and lie, love the reeling midnight through, for tomorrow we shall die! (But, alas, we never do.)" - Dorothy Parker

I'm about to start preparing dinner for party number three in four days. A small dinner party on holiday Monday became a gathering of ten, last night was Jacob and Jonathon's birthday party and tonight I'm hosting my sister Cathy's birthday party. Leos abound in my life. So far, the party hosting is going well. The kids had a good time last night. Save one sticky mess from an exploding Coke can, the house is more or less intact. I do have an abundance of leftovers however. So much so that for one brief moment, I considered reheating them and serving them tonight. Alas, I went to the supermarket and started fresh.

Tonight's menu is a main course of rosemary rubbed lamb chops served with salad, asparagus, brussel sprouts and potatoes. Appetizers will include shrimp cocktail, sushi and a cheese plate with fresh apricots. Nancy has baked a walnut cake for dessert.

I'm really pleased to host Cathy's party. No one enjoys her birthday more than Cathy. She starts celebrating on August 1 and doesn't consider the celebration closed until August 31. The truth is, there have been years when she started celebrating in July. Good for her. I called her at about 9:30 this morning. She regaled me with the list of all the birthday wishes she had already received. It's fun to see the pleasure she takes in the day.

If you are reading this Cat, Happy, Happy Birthday! I'm so glad to have you as my much older sister.

An Intent Realignment

"Resentment is like taking poison and waiting for the other person to die." - Malachy McCourt

I'm trying to be a better person - not just in my deeds but in my intent. It's not that I think I'm unkind or miserly - quite the opposite. It is just that lately I've been struggling to make my intent match my deeds. I sit on a couple of pro-bono boards at not-for-profit agencies. I'm really happy to do so because they both serve constituents who really need their services. They also need the skills I provide and I'm happy I can contribute more than just money. I'm not seeking thanks or recognition - I didn't take on the roles for personal gain or glory. At the moment, I'm struggling with my role on one of the boards. I'm doing a lot of heavy lifting right now, and that's okay. But some individuals peripheral to our agency are casting shadows on my motives. As a result, I'm feeling some resentment about the amount of work I'm performing for the agency.

I want to find a way to realign my intent with my actions. I will continue to do the work. I made a commitment and I will see it through. I know how important this agency is to so many people who have no place else to turn. What I don't want, is to do the work with resentment. I need to find a way to again do the work from a spirit of generosity and kindness in spite of the nay sayers. I've been thinking a lot about how to get back there and I really hope I can find my way.

I feel bad about feeling resentful. It's not a part of my normal nature and so I don't have much experience with it. I'm usually better at convincing myself everybody is doing the best they can and just letting things go. I don't know why it is so hard this time. Maybe I'm just tired. A few days off with my husband next week might be just the tonic to help me turn my head around.

Eighteen Candles

"Common sense is the collection of prejudices acquired by age eighteen." - Albert Einstein

Tomorrow, for the eighteenth time, I will throw a birthday party for Jacob. As he did last year, he will once again share his birthday party with one of his best friends, Jonathon. They are five days apart in age. Jonathon will turn eighteen on August 12, Jacob on August 17. But Jacob will leave this weekend to spend two weeks with a friend at a cottage in North Bay. He won't be here to celebrate either of their two actual birthdays so we will celebrate early. Last year, the birthday party cake read "Happy 17th Birthday J2" (with the little two at the top like a squared sign). This year it will read "Happy 18th Birthday Jacob and Jono". The boys are too old now for the cute slogan of last year.

There will be ribs and fries, crudite and rolls, lots of junk food and of course a great huge chocolate cake with raspberry filling and chocolate butter cream icing. Jacob picked the cake and the menu. I remember the birthday cake from his very first birthday. It was an adorable "Barney" cake with purple dinosaur candles. There have been lots of great cakes over the years - Lion King, Star Wars, golf, trucks, jungles, dinosaurs - essentially whatever Jacob's passion was that year. We had parties at Chuckie Cheese, climbing centres, bowling alleys and glow in the dark indoor golf centres. We've done Medival Times and Dave and Busters. This year, the kids will come here. They will hang out downstairs doing whatever it is they do these days. They will have fun.

It will probably be the last time Jacob lets me throw him a birthday party. It makes me a bit sad. Maybe he'll let me do it again next year but maybe not. We'll see. I'm planning to enjoy this one just in case it's the last.

And as he will be in North Bay for his birthday this year, as he was last year, I have decided to ease my pain at being away from him on his special day and make the long drive north so I can share a birthday dinner with him. He will be eighteen - an adult. My baby has grown up.

Old Friends, New Friends

"The ornament of a house is the friends who frequent it." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

I've been thinking about someone I haven't seen for a long time. She is a woman I shared a close relationship with at one time, but hectic lives and distance got in the way and we somehow drifted apart. I really didn't know how to even get in touch again, but last night I looked her up on LinkedIn and lo and behold, I found her. She accepted my invitation to link in. I learned that my friend Sheila has been living and working in Tokyo. Beyond that I don't know much but I'm so happy to be in touch with her again. We have about ten years worth to catch up on. There was a time Sheila lived in Toronto as an ex-patriot American transplanted from Connecticut. We both worked at The Hartford. She didn't know anyone here so she spent a lot of time at our house. Once more technology gives me the gift of connecting with a friend.

Closer to home, our new neighbours took possession of their house on Friday. We managed a brief introduction in the driveway. They seem like a lovely young couple. While entertaining some friends on our balcony this afternoon, we spotted them washing the windows at the back of their house. I called over to Jeremy, the young man, and invited him and his wife Joyce to come and join us for a glass of wine. I was so happy they accepted our invitation. A glass of wine transitioned into them staying for dinner. Jacob invited one of his friends to join us and my sister Cathy dropped in with her young neighbor too. Suddenly, our small dinner party became a gathering of ten. What a perfect way to spend a beautiful summer evening.

We are such lucky people.