Kitchen Rituals

So what can you do after you've worked in the 90 degree heat and feel like a rung out wash cloth? When we had our house by the ocean a cool onshore breeze kept most days
tolerable. When when we came home from work it was a minute to our own private oasis, our built-in pool. We enjoyed both ocean breezes and practically lived outdoors all summer along side that pool. We would come home from work and take in a swim before dinner, throw something on the grill, and even take in a late night dip to cool off. When we moved to the mountains the initial plans called for eventually putting in a pool, a built-in freeform style that would compliment our mountain lifestyle. I even drew the plans! But then seasons passed and we procrastinated to the point where now it's only days like today when it's mentioned. I'll say "Gee, this would be a perfect pool day!" Since we don't have a pool we don't spend nearly as many hours outside as we used to. But back then we both had jobs that kept us outside most of the day, and fact is; our house by the sea had only one kind of air conditioning, called windows. But we didn't miss what we didn't have. We had an ocean breeze most days, and a cool pool to help us tolerate the hottest of days. I must also admit that being a little younger also made it easier...it just didn't seem to bother us as much. But now we hit that point in the day when we plan a trip somewhere whether it's to run errands or whatever. Or, we simply stay inside. Either way it's a retreat to that sweet AC!! It doesn't take much getting used to being comfortable and cool! But then, what to do? Well that's when I decided to sit down and start clicking away at my lap top keys and see what random thoughts I had while doing the dishes I could remember...It doesn't always work and I wind up writing a rambling of words, shorter than this!!! But sometimes, I get lucky and produce a poem or prose. I have not given up on having my pool. I still have the picture I drew filed away. And on days like today I may even take it out and look at it, or daydream about it. It's a great daydream til I start thinking "hmm, we don't have any kids livin home anymore to help keep that darn thing clean and vacuumed!" Then I file it away, or open my eyes and then my laptop. Today I wrote a poem called Kitchen Rituals....(which has nothing to do with this heat!)