Cutting and Stripping

Rain today for a change . . .I had to mow the lawn for the first time in two weeks, and even then, it really didnt need to be cut all that much . . .a huge change from last summer, and even the early spring, when I cut it just about every four days. Things are growing very strange this summer: grass is hardly getting any taller, bushes that ususally flower are not (mountain laurel), and things are blooming later than usual (the lupines, for instance, seemed late)

Amanda cut off all her hair today for her "summer do." I think it looks great--it hilights the complexities of her face . . . .I need mine cut too; I think might is ALMOST at 3/8 of an inch, and I got it cut last in mid May.

"Krazy Karl" dropped in today bearing gifts of red, natural casing hot dogs (a Maine tradition). Also, he started measuring for sheetrock, since we are going to do that together after we get back from Cobscook in a week or so. After I staged one of the greatest cribbage victories of all time, he left, and I began stripping aluminum siding off the house, which was a pleasure to do, since it is so dirty, grimy, and old looking. It will look so nice when the sheetrock is done, since then Amanda can paint it a color like "desert serenade," "orgasmic orange hue," or "twilight passage." I think being a paint namer is something I would undoubtedly be successsful at; how cool would it be to sit in an office all day, looking at different shades of red, blue, and yellow, and peevishly give it eccentric names that make you sound like you were more poetic, introspective, and profound than you actually are. It would be funny if, after the end of the day, the chief paint namer for Behr or Sherwin Williams got into their Hyundai Elantra with no CD player and went home to eat a "Hungry Man" frozen dinner. Alone. By the electric heat. That, would be funny.

STARBUCKS PICK: The wife and I made a trip to Fourbucks this evening, and we HEARTILY recommend the "iced tea lemonade" drink they serve: Passionfruit tea mixed with lemonade. Very refreshing summer drink.

BEER PICK: Redhook's "Sun Rye" seasonal summer brew is outstanding--I am nursing one now, actually, savoring the flavor. Mmm . . .savoring . . . But a delightful wheaty brew with hints of summer citrus undertones (hey, look at me, I am a paint-namer)

WEB SITE PICK: Bustedtees.com has absolutely hilarious t-shirts for sale; looking at them brings me back to "Friday Night Club" in 1995 when Ponticekki, the Reverend, and I would check out shirts at Newbury Comics.