Summer 1984

Warrior - Scandal, 1984


Why this song? well the first time i ever went to Six Flags was with my girl scout troop and it's a long drive to Gurnee. I was so terribly excited to be going and see a real roller coaster that i sat forward in my seat the entire 90 minute drive. This song was on the radio as soon as i saw the biggest roller coaster i'd ever seen, The American Eagle. To me this song will always be summer at six flags.




Can't Stand it - Wilco, 1999


This song will always remind me of the summer of 1999-2001. We went to downtown Chicago quite a bit those summers and there were lots of fireworks shows set to this song.




Gangsta - Tune Yards 2011


this song...because it's been stuck on repeat in my brain for the last 4 months.



do you have a quintessential 'SUMMER SONG'?


what's on rotation in your brain this summer?

holiday weekends

I went for a long bike ride yesterday and the whole way i'd pass by parks and backyard and smell people barbequeing. It was the charcoal grills that did it for me, all i could think about was my parents backyard, camping in wisconsin and oh ya MEAT.

We grilled steaks last night, had the requisite corn on the cob and watched the fireworks from our deck.
If it weren't for the mosquitoes i could've stayed out there all night!

It's currently about 95f degrees out and i haven't stepped outdoors since about 9:30am. I took a 2hour nap and read. My husband had decieded that he wants to bake a cake from scratch. OK I"LL EAT SOME CAKE! but it's sooo hot outside, glad i'm not making it.

I'd say this has been a perfect summer long weekend! Hope you all had a great weekend too!

what are you doing more of ?

Aside from the weather being warm and wearing less clothing and being outside more....what thing do you notice you do more of in the warmer months?

Well, since I'm off work, I get to do more of anything fun!  I get to read more, and garden more, and do all the things I love.  I sleep better, because there is fresh air in the house, we eat healthier because we eat way more salad with our grilled items... yep.
for me i tend to go to more concerts, not necessarily outdoor concerts, but I'm more likely to get out of the house in the warmer months. plus there's more concert tours in the spring/summer.
- Steffy

Paint, daydream, sit outside and enjoy the air, watch the kids (the cat and dog) play or sniff around in the backyard.
 - Cristy

We get outside more in general. We sit on the porch in the evening &  enjoy the sunset. We also spend a lot of time standing around the grill, drinking & talking while supper grills. It's unusual because the rest of the year, I cook while David putters around the house.
 - Ann

I'm usually really antsy at work and cook up excuses to be outside basking in the sun. (running errands, shopping, biking)  I know this summer i'll be cycling a lot and I already have plans to see some concerts. I think outdoor concerts are the epitome of 'summertime'.

what's there to eat around here?

What is your favorite summer food and drink?

Anything grilled! And a big glass of sweetened iced tea!
- Ann

Hot dogs and potato salad!  Iced tea and freezing cold Dr Pepper on ice.  Yum!  I love the smell of the grill.  Ours needs serious cleaning before we can use it, but I think I'm going to try to convince Tom to scrub this year.  We have some steaks we got at Sam's in the freezer, and I can just imagine the sheer yumminess that I'd smell if he got those going.  Mmmm! :)
- Cristy

BBQ !  Nothing says summer like BBQ!  And salads.  And mojitos.
- Steffy

I agree, iced tea is a must. Last summer i really enjoyed making my own Arnold Palmers (1/2 iced tea 1/2 lemonade). I usually have a jar of sun tea going out on the deck. Nothing is better than a hot dog off the grill and some potato salad. YUM!
- Teresa

Oh no not the Sun!!!!

What's your warm weather skin ritual? do you wear sun screen, a hat, hide indoors? do you tan? if you burn, what's your next step?

I always wear moisturizer on my face that has sun screen, but during the summer, I do actual sunscreen everywhere, too.  I tend to get a healthy pink glow, then burn, so I try to keep it at the glow, if I can. :)  Of course, I haven't been really active outdoors for several years.  Maybe we'll do more of that this year!
- Cristy

"If you burn"? Ha! I have two colors - blindingly white & flaming red. I wear sunscreen and a hat & I'll still burn. I am cursed with fair skin!
- Ann

I don't change anything except that I start to wear Jergens Natural Glow lotion to make myself look less pasty.
 I have been wearing sunscreen religiously since I was a teenager.  I do not hide indoors, but I don't like to purposely tan do you tan? No... I used to fake tan, but you know?  That's not good for you either. 
if you burn, what's your next step? Aloe vera gel.
- Steffy

I try to remember to wear sunscreen but more often than not i forget. I would love to get some color but i try to kid myself thinking i'll 'tan' but i usually burn. I do put sunscreen on my face every day, it's just my arms and shoulders that i forget about and burn. - Teresa