wanting what we don't have

spring comes finally, and summer close behind. we have just begun to dig in dirt and lay our heads back on tall lawn chairs under cool night breezes and smell the lilacs and then

97 degrees. hot winds. twisty sleep.

i am resisting air conditioning with all my might this year. someone in print recently compared the hot hot summer to the cold cold winter - in either case we settle in and forbid the elements from affecting our senses and our comfort. in the frost of winter we light candles and fires and cover up toasty in blankets, watch movies and fall to sleep early.

in the drenching sweat of summer we light candles (watch out for the effect of ceiling and floor fans), cover up in blankets (we like it cold), watch movies and fall asleep while the sun is still up.

funny this minnesota proposition of how well we fare in the event of extreme temperatures, and i realize that as for me, i close myself off to very cold and very hot, so that in very cold i can feel quite warm, in the very hot i can feel quite cool. even chilly.

the grass is always greener, the snow is always whiter, and the woman in front of you at the grocery store always always has way better hair than you.

always.