And the livin' is easy

PART I
(This is my first of a few installments I hope to post over the next week to catch up on our family's historical record of summer happenings.)

Gloomy clouds seem to have abated. The pavement radiates afternoon heat well past sundown. Palm fronds dance dry and crackly in the ocean breeze atop skinny, sky-scraping trunks.

Main arteries through town are daily clogged by convertibles, Jeeps and loaded-down SUVs emanating wafts of coco-butter and shrieks of hyperactive banter.

Our open window to the sidewalk allows a quiet, continual hum of chatty tourists scuffing back to their vacation rentals from the beach.

Fruit from the supermarket is sweet -- swollen strawberries, dripping watermelon slices, tomatoes that pop when pierced by a tooth. Lemons and limes by the woven bagful line our kitchen counter, waiting to be squeezed into icy ades. We're eating grilled-chicken tacos with mango-avocado salsa, homemade pasta with sauce and lots and lots of ice cream.

Our weeks are speckled with trips to new beaches, Sunday evening concerts in the park after church, practicing kicks and bobs in the neighborhood pools, picnics at Balboa Park and loads of time with extended family.

Sister C is visiting us now. We've certainly grown accustomed to her company and will miss her dearly when she departs later this week. We enjoyed lunch at the beach with Cousin J and brood last week. L and I so enjoyed our girls' weekend in Seattle earlier this month.

Big boy C has two new baseball bats and balls. He's practicing swing-and-hit off many different surfaces with extreme diligence. L has mastered dunking her head under water at the pool and is working on paddling to stay afloat.

We're busy but oh, so relaxed. This is our summer.