What a difference one week makes! Last weekend, I was wearing a down-filled coat, and this past Saturday, I couldn't shed enough layers to suit myself!

Don't get me wrong, because I am not complaining-it just reminded me that I still need to have Freon added to the air conditioner in my car.

And speaking of air conditioning, we have been running ours at home intermittently all week.

Everywhere you look, people are wearing nice tans already-I actually have a pretty decent "Farmer tan" started.

Perhaps by the weekend, I will be able to dig out some shorts that have not shrunken too much (ever notice how snug those summer clothes can get after just one season of storage?) and cut the lawn.

The bluebells and dandelions are actually starting to get invaded by sprigs of grass now, so maybe it will start to look green.

A word of fair warning though. If you happen to be driving near my house and hear my lawnmower running, make sure you have your sunglasses on, or you might suffer the equivalent to snow blindness when you see my legs!

The majority of my troop had the opportunity (and wouldn't dare miss it) to swim in a pool this past weekend, and yep, two of them returned home with a little more effect from radiation then they would have preferred.

Ah, that sweet tropical smell of suntan oil and sun block was wafting in the air Sunday evening.

Seeing the kids moving only as much as they have to, for fear of causing that painful wrinkling effect of sunburn reminds me of my youth.

Seems like only about a hundred years ago, I had that "never care" attitude.

By mid-summer, I would appear to be an island native from all of the sun exposure.

I can remember referring to the summer time sun and heat as having an energizing effect.

Although I still have that impression when I am just lying around in the sun, it seems that I hardly get the time to just lay around in it anymore.

But perhaps that is another part of the old "handing down of the torch" effect-another aspect that gets passed to the next generation, for their enjoyment pleasure.

Not that I am aging, you understand-I would never allow that to happen.

I still occasionally get on the trampoline when no one else is around (mainly because if I fall, I don't want anyone else to witness what must surely be an hoot), and I have even though (again) about getting the tires changed on my bicycle and starting to ride.

There is only one thing wrong with that-what will I do now that I suffer from the "Dunlop" syndrome?

You know, that effect of the belly dun lopped over the belt?

Anyway, I could always get an air freshener for my car, one of those "Pina Colada" or coconut fragranced types, on my A/C vent in the car-at least it would smell like suntan oil.

Well, I will probably end up getting blistered atop the old bean, where that hair used to be, and decided to move out of the way for the sunlight to get in easier.

Until next week, I will look forward to seeing you all at the ballpark, and I will be way out in Deep Left Field.'