Remember how Ally McBeal would have a song that played in her head all day? (Oh don't play holier than thou, I know you watched it, too). Guess what my song is of late? Very good-- you know me too well.

Exodus.

Yes kids, last Friday I sat down with my boss and gave my notice. He was very sweet and aware that I don't have anything else lined up, he encouraged me to just stay on-- "coast" as he put it, and not rush out.

It's a nice idea, but no can do. However, I did take yesterday and today and do some veritable leaps into deep water. Saturday night we boated out to one of the lake islands and enjoyed the very best of lake living-- mojitos on a dock with a big slide (yes! years of childhood trauma washed away with a few of those screaming descents that launch you out with time enough to wriggle your feet before you crash into the water)-- swimming before dinner-- cocktails and nibbles on the porch watching the light go down over the mountain.

Sunday I had to go down to the airport to pick up a houseguest who was arriving out of the blue. T was a hurting puppy from the night before and pretty much spent the day moving from couch to bed. (A question for the ages: how old do you have to be not to mix mojitos, wine, beer, with more wine before you stop creating hangovers that make back surgery look like a day at the park?)

Neighbors called and invited us out for a boat ride-- the weather has been full on hot summer-- and as T was deep in the third of his five naps and our houseguest was also napping-- I went alone. It was sublime. I'm amazed I didn't convince them to just leave me out there treading in the gorgeousness--

Monday I spent the day oh so joyfully preparing an impromptu dinner party.

My first stop was up to our CSA farm that we joined right after I saw The Corporation. As a member, I can pick flowers anytime to my heart's content.

It was a killer hot day so the menu I threw together was cold cold cold: gazpacho (the key is to roast the tomatoes) with fresh-picked cucumber oh!, roasted salmon that I cooked early in the day and then refrigerated-- served COLD (oh blessed cold food on that hot hot night) with a yogurt/sour cream/cucumber something to dollop on top, and fresh made coleslaw.

We started the night with an antipasto of artichoke hearts, roasted red peppers, medley of olives, mozzerella balls, capicola, hard salami, mortadella, and soppressata, etc. We ended with strawberry shortcake with chantilly.

Woof.

Then this morning, I had to get up at 6 am to drive our houseguest back to the airport-- came home and collapsed. The phone rang and it was a birthday party for tonight-- another set of friends on another lake. I had to beg off-- am spent and must remember that tomorrow is another day at work and right now my head is so deep into summer I don't even know what day or what time it is.

What I do know is you all are kind and generous spirits and I love that about you. I also know that everything is going to work out somehow-- I am ready for this next phase of my life. I know it is crazy to leave a job without another one lined up, but I have met with a headhunter/recruiter and have some stuff underway.

Although if this summer living keeps up-- I may never be able to get dressed in anything but a bikini and pareo again. For one thing, I question being able to fit into any of my clothes. Anyway, it's a sultry July night-- I'm up in my studio with bbc radio2 wafting out the speakers. The plan is to dive in to some collage projects I've got going on.

A bientot, baby.

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