Month: June 2016

This summer has been a scorcher. 109 F is forecast for Saturday and 118 F  for Sunday.  Sorry, I just don’t want to go outside.* The golf clubs are buried in the garage. The shrubs and trees all need trimming and the yard looks horrible.  When is that trip to the beach coming?

The heat is the bad news. The good news is, as I have stayed hold up inside, I rediscovered the record player. This summer I have played albums that I haven’t put on the turntable in a very long time. Some are scratched, a lot are warped, but some are playable.  Maybe it was a little sense of nostalgia that led me to grab a few records that belonged to my parents as we cleaned out their home this past winter.  Even they have served as a distraction from the heat.

So, I am trying something new. I am going to YouTube to see if I can find a few links to share some of the songs.  I hope this works, although the reader may need to do a little copy and paste.  I hope you have a little fun with it.  Maybe in the end, even if your turntable doesn’t spin, you will find a way to listen to some of your old stuff and stay out of the heat at the same time.

First, from the early 1960’s.  My parents (dad more than mom) listened to quite a bit of folk music.   The Chad Mitchell Trio, The New Christy Minstrels, and Peter, Paul and Mary made up part of their library.   This one is short and sweet… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FsQ-DwHTcgI

Among my treasured records I found what was left of a collection of 45’s.  Some of you may think they should have remained a hidden treasure.

Stevie Wonder- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0CFuCYNx-1g

Allman Brothers-  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUTORC4eoGc

Also found albums from high school and college days.  Looking back, not exactly an investment that appreciated in value.  Still, there were a couple worth listening to.  Kansas put together a couple pretty good records.  Some cuts still play over the airwaves.

Kansas- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2X_2IdybTV0

This Eagles album also found its way into my cassette and CD collections.  I am sure they are in some box or stack somewhere in the house.   How about my favorite song from my favorite album?  Eagles- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O8wOWNnQJgU

Hope you enjoyed this.  At least I was inside writing and not outside mowing what is left of my lawn.

*For some of you, this exercise may work better in the winter, when it is too cold to go out and you just don’t want to shovel the driveway.

 

 

 

Summer is here!   It is 115 degrees outside in the shade! Wondering how you are going to spend the time?  Here are some of my favorites.  How do these compare to yours?

Tubing the Salt!  Okay, this is a local treat, but I am sure there is something like it near you.  The river water is cool and moves along at a moderately slow pace.  It is so easy to do these days.  Bring cash and your ID and Salt River Recreation does all the work for you.  In the old days you needed a couple cars, ropes, your own tubes, and it all could be a bit of a  hassle.  Tubes and a ride in a bare bones bus takes the hassle out.  Bring the kids, but fair warning, they may be exposed to more than just the sun.

Spend some time at a museum!  There are a ton of museums in the Phoenix area.  Heck, there are a ton of museums in most cities. The nice thing is that a part of the entrance fee is going to keep the building nice and cool!  In Phoenix alone there is the Phoenix Art Museum, the Heard Museum, the Musical Instrument Museum,  the Penske Racing Museum, and the Arizona Science Museum, just to name a few.  Feel the culture oozing into your skin instead of the perspiration oozing out.

Go to a movie!  Our local cineplex keeps the temperature nice and cold.  You can also get yourself a nice cold drink and maybe eat some ice cream. Summer blockbusters are the bomb.  Remember when Jaws was first released. Too bad there have already been a couple of real shark attacks since the start of the Memorial weekend.  Stay out of the ocean, go to a movie.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Splash around at your favorite water park!  One of the originals opened in Tempe back in the sixties.  Big Surf had a big lagoon, the hottest sand beaches ever, and lifeguards reminding you constantly to stay out of the danger zone.  The wave machine threw waves at you worthy of surfing.  In fact, there was time set aside just for the boards.  Today, water slides trump the lazy rivers and wave pools.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Take a nap.  When it is just too hot to even think about going out, a nice long siesta will help.  That way, when it cools down to 105, you will be ready to start your night.  However, when that warm summer breeze comes up, you will know the only real relief is to just get out of Dodge!

Have a wonderful summer!