Smelling the Summer

I had an unexpected "surprise" of sorts the other day... It's been so hot and muggy and unbearable outside, Dave and I have been doing nothing but walking from air conditioned car to air conditioned house to air conditioned office, etc... (Today, however, was so lovely I ate lunch outside!)

This is hardly the time for the fan in Dave's car to die... Poor Dave - We've all been in that position when we just dread having to spend several hundred dollars on something as frivolously necessary as our freaking vehicles... Isn't it bad enough we have to pay them off every month? (sigh)

Anyway. One interesting thing came from this. The other night, Dave was driving a distance. He called me and said, "You know, my air conditioner isn't working, so I drove home with the windows down... and I forgot all the cool smells that come with the summer... grass and the warm air... It reminded me of growing up...

So yesterday, despite the heat, I rolled the windows down and inhaled... Hot pavement reminded me of playing on my grandmother's driveway. Fresh cut grass with the hint of wild onion reminded me of summer camp... Summer does have a scent... and it's warm air, grass, and dirt... That smell of heated asphalt also reminded me of my stupid days in college. I drove home from Michigan in June - and completely forgot my old Toyota Tercel (named 'sheba') even HAD an air conditioner. (I think that may have been the time when I arrived in PA sans any brake fluid... which really angered my father.)...

Last weekend, I was at a party - and the glow of tan skin reminded me of the smells at the beach - sun, surf, with the aroma of coconut oil...

I'm sorry Dave's AC had to break for me to be reminded... but at least one little good thing came (Dave, I'm so sorry for your ridiculous auto bill)

Tonight, since the heat's died down, I'll be outside at a music festival - playing, singing, and smelling the summer.