Not a Bad Half-Year Rental for a Colleague Joining My Department This Semester. In My Words, "Phew. You Got Lucky."

Renting in Fairfield and New Haven Counties is insane. Home prices are even more bonkers, and so when  a new colleague agreed to move to a new University after building a home for 15 years outside Boston, the first warnings were about finding temporary housing. She quickly learned what we met, but then made contact with a family in Lordship and got a really sweet deal on a rental in a home I've walked by for years, envying the view they have of the Sound and beaches. This is the view of their balcony on the 2nd floor. You can see all the way to Milford. Better yet, you have the trails and views I can only treat myself occasionally -- always taking Karal to walk there when I have extra time.

That's what I did yesterday, before meeting Bev and Leo at Walnut Beach. I hike with Karal and my new colleague for about an hour and half. We were soaked, too...not from the humidity but because the sun was August-warm. Yes, I treated my Tuesday like a vacation day. Of course I worked on a few writing projects, but mostly I spent the day outdoors perspiring. I wanted (and needed) a day of vitamin D, which was highly abundant yesterday.

Checked on Mom and all seemed well, except Dad is dressing as if he lives in Alaska and refused to shave...the good garbage dumpster approach to life....like he's about to sing the Chim-Chimaree song with Mary Poppins. I'm always glad he lets me shave him when I come home.

The thing about the yellow jackets that fell from his ceiling fan, is they had very little life left.

I thought of that line when Pam yelled out, "Can I pluck a long white hair that is growing off your shoulder? It's shimmering in the sun." I let her, but then pointed to how much my forearms are graying. I'm wondering if I'm about to soon create a station where I sit so I can begin grooming random hairs on my body with piles of chewed fingernails and ear wax pyramids. He's maintained such a workstation for years. And, yes. It's gross. 

I didn't get to the garage yesterday because I didn't want get stuck working on a beautiful day. We have 4 upcoming days of 100% rain, so I took advantage of a good one when it arrive. 

Today it clouds up and the humidity returns. It is what it is, because it's summer.