As usual, I am anticipating my first ice cream cone, which I will get on the first really hot day. Probably from this place.

My 25th college reunion in June!

Annual trip to Ocean City, NJ! And pool time!

Cheap fresh watermelons! Every year I make a ton of watermelon-cilantro granita.

We have a cruise in August-- Woo hoo!

(And no work for two months. It's been a long school year.)

Taking the kids out for ice cream.

Summer is not coming for everyone. For many, winter is just around the corner. Except here, winter is nothing more than not having to deal with crippling humidity and 30+ degrees 24/7 so, for me, winter is more than welcomed! I will sleep comfortably, I will not have to put sunscreen on just to good outside for more than 10 minutes and I will enjoy not sweating all the time :-). The down side is that, for the next few months, it's dark when I leave for work and dark again when I get home :-(

Two things have already arrived:
- the high pitched screaming of the swifts chasing eachother at high speed through my street.
- at dusk the blackbird that sings sitting on top of the little spire on the crow-stepped gable of my house. (my house is from 1900 and has a somewhat ornate facade)


dg what latitude are you on?

Oops, I should have said "to the northern hemisphere.". Are you in Australia, dg?

Yes, in Australia.

I'm looking forward to my niece not being in school, so not having to worry about tests/projects/homework! :)

Also, we are going back to Origins Game Fair in Columbus OH this year - we'd been every year, but missed last year. It's always a fun and relaxing con, with lots of board games!

Our annual trip to Vermont.

Enjoying the garden. Last summer the work was being done throughout the summer to rebuild my garden, and so this summer will be my chance to enjoy it.

I'm going to plant tomatoes, peppers and courgettes and will also tidy up the raised beds. I'll uncover the garden furniture and hopefully the weather will be good enough for me to have coffee outside in the mornings.

Mr. init is turning 50!! A big party. Then, a week in Jackson Hole, Wyoming/Badlands National Park/Mt. Rushmore.

Me, too, initapplette-- turning 50, I mean. No special plans, alas (if you think that sounds sad, it's because it is :(

We are taking the cruise later in the summer, though, and I do plan to have a Luigi's birthday cake, with extra buttercream flowers, like my mom used to get for me.

I am looking forward to taking my girls to the beach! We tried when they were about 8 months old and Mae tried to eat the sand face first, and then kept shoveling it in to her mouth with her hands. Hopefully this time they will play instead of just trying to ingest the scenery.

We are taking a trip with my in-laws which will be a little stressful, especially because the girls don't sleep too well far from home. So I'm not looking forward to that, though I feel guilty about not being excited.

I was looking forward to spending a lot of time on our building's deck (bought a playpen and water table for the girls and wanted to garden in pots too) but now there is going to be construction until August. Hopefully we can at least hang out there for Aug and Sept.

Sorry pips.... although I did nothing except make an old fashioned grillrd kraft sliced cheese sandwich for my birthday (mmmmmm), it was awesome anyway.

An old friend happened to be in town that week and we went to lunch; my Mom gave me some spending money; the gal at work from whom I adopted a kitty surprised me with a little gift card for some coffee; a friend from far away really surprised me with a phone call and wonderful book which leads me to summer plans: actually get to the beach to relax and read.

I'm in Maine, northeast US. Looking forward to not being cold, then the lake will warm up and I can swim. Summer in Maine is excellent!

Hear hear, theora55.