Missing Mars

Being woken up to the varied sounds of many types of birds nesting and feeding within earshot of my open bedroom window.

Also, having 80 degree mornings so it was warm enough to go for a swim at 9 am to compensate for the 100+ afternoons.

work, work and more work but the times i will remember most of this summer are of walking home 10KM every night at 3am through quiet countryside. I just loved it, all alone except for an occasional Coyote or the head on collision with a bat or the couple of just plain odd people i met. I think i probably watched more of Mars than most people; i would often lay down in the fields and just stare up into the night sky; sometimes until the sun rose. I listened to some great CDs on my discman or my favorite radio station and almost every day i would get this feeling of knowing that no one is feeling as good as me right at that moment. I know that thats not true but thats what it felt like to me.

Not a blessed thing. Just another summer.

Summers I miss: 2002, 1993, and pretty much '82-'90.

Butrflynet was it warmer in Sac than usual this summer? Your city is one in California I have not had the time to really explore. I have visited and liked what I saw. Maybe next year during the San Fran gathering I will trek out there for the day.

Cinderwolf, wow it sounds like you really got into the Mars occurrence. It was a real joy for me and I wish I could have seen it from a country setting. The lights of Dallas are far to bright and the one time I drove out to see it the clouds rolled in and we could not see a thing.

Turner_727, sorry about the summer of 2003 but am happy that you have had some fun in some summers.

No, the year before we had really unusual record-setting heat waves, something like 100+ degree for 25 consecutive days or more in July (several at 110 and higher). This year they weren't consecutive nor as hot. About every 10 days, we'd get a cool off to 90 degrees.

Even today's temperatures got up to 90 degrees, but it's forecasted to drop off into the 70's by the weekend. Autumn may finally be arriving in the big valley.

The valley I love it both ends but especially to the east where you can drive through the fruit and nut trees and see the High Sierra with snow topped peaks. And I love the brown hills heading back towards the bay too. Now I am getting home sick of CA - doing a bit of California dreamin I guess.

Yep, we're extremely lucky to live in this state with all its natural beauty in every direction you look.

Thanks, JD. It wasn't so bad. . . I just worked my butt off. Full time school, full time work. . . we had bought season passes to the water/amusement park, and my wife insisted on spending time there. . . the only thing I didn't do a lot of was sleep.

No sleep that is a bad thing - hoping you get lots of rest over the fall and winter.

Sh-yeah. . . nice wish!

You're funny!

Gonna have to redo my schedule for the Winter, so I have a couple of days off during the week. Decided at the last minute in August to switch my classes from Nights to Days. . . had to take what I could get. Next semester is going to suck. . . all electives. Nothing to move my degree forward. . . oh well. Next fall, I guess.