lazy hazy summer days (and nights)

Well ain't that the truth. The past few days have been muggy, and a haze sits on the valley by 8 am. The skies are overcast most of the day with that burnished heat coming through that so irritates the tourists they feel they must complain to me, poor hapless pottery girl that I am. No worries, though, on today, my one day off this week. I spent the morning shopping and conversing in Baddeck, pretty little thoroughfare and civic district,  and came home to have a sweet lunch of a whole-wheat bread sandwich (hot-pepper havarti, olives, lettuce and a deliciously ripe tomato, bursting at its red skin) followed by a perfect nectarine. There are little things better  than a perfect nectarine, and I believe they all contain chocolate in some form.

Most of the visitors to the island come in late July and August,  and no wonder, the weather is of course fantastic, you can swim, you can avoid snow (hopefully), and there are 'things going on'... these elusive 'things' happen all year long (meaning parties, get togethers, soirées) but I suppose in summer  they are especially 'happening' due to the high volume of people around to attend them. Speaking of which, last night at Mary Ann's house on the Meadow Road (the very same road I live on, only the other end, you know, darling) a gathering of women was put on, meaning an excuse to sip chambers, eat chocolate, and gossip, under  the name "Women's Spa Day". When we arrived the hostess was up to her ankles in some sort of foot bath/massage parlor hybrid machine (I don't know, all I know is that it vibrated and smelled nice), her hands creamed up and in protective baggies, and cucumbers on her eyes. (The face mask and hair in a towel just goes without saying.)  There were clothes galore for the rummaging in one corner, and piles of food in another. A pond for swimming was a short walk away. Needless to say, a wonderful evening was had, by women ranging in ages from 15 to mid-60's. I even had my nails done--a French manicure! I say.

The other wonderful thing about so many visitors in these months is that people you haven't seen in ages come out of the woodwork, rather, step off the plane or out of the car. Sarah Hart is around right now, she was my best friend growing up (she was the one who would coax me to cross rotting logs over swamps when I was afraid, and who loved horses when I didn't), whom I visited in NYC last June (we visited the John Lennon memorial together, and ate at the restaurant featured in Seinfeld). It will be lovely to catch up with her this weekend. I guess the key is balance, allowing yourself enough time to be alone, read a book (or watch Fashion Television--hm hmm, nobody we know) and also enough time to socialize and exchange witty repartée with those folks you haven't seen in ages. And then there's time for work! It's like Carol Kennedy said last night as she drove me home from the party,

"It's not the nights, it's the days!!"