A day in the sun.

Before the East Coast was hit with this unbearable heat wave (at least by East Coast standards; I'm sure there are many of you who would beg to differ) over the July 4th weekend I decided to enjoy a day in the sun. Not being one for lying on the beach, I packed a bag with a bottle of homemade fizzy lemonade, a sunhat, and a really good book, and headed out to a favorite spot. After I was laid off I started keeping a beach chair in the trunk of my car so I could stop any time I found a nice spot for a bit of fresh air, so I was all set for the afternoon.

Cold Spring Harbor was founded in the mid 1600s and later became a whaling town. It lies on the north shore of Long Island and was a favorite of my family for day trips when I was growing up. It's about a 30 minute scenic drive from where I now live, so the trip is almost as pleasant as the destination (almost). I stopped at Crumbs on the way for a cupcake to enjoy with my lemonade. Although it was good, it was by no means near the best cupcake I've had. Didn't matter; the sun, salt air, and beautiful scenery made up for it.

My final destination in CSH was a small park that sits right along the edge of the shore. There are lovely big trees if you want a shady spot to sit, and lots of open space if you enjoy a bit of sun. I always park myself under a tree with my big sunhat on. Friday was an especially perfect summer day, with a dry breeze and temps peaking in the upper 70s. It's incredible to think that less than a week ago I eagerly wanted to be outdoors; now I am holed up in my bedroom, the one room with air conditioning in my apartment, praying that it can cool the room to below the 84 degrees it currently is.