Dog Days of Summer

Dog days of summer is when it's HOT HOT HOT. Researching the meaning of this refers to Sirius, the constellation of the dog that appears this time of year. As a Harry Potter aficionado I can appreciate the reference for Sirius Black who is an unregistered animagus of a dog. However this post isn't about HP or dogs or constellations.

I want to be 10 years old again, when life was simple. Summers were spent in the pool so no matter what the thermometer read, I was bathed in cooling relief. For indoors, there was the library open from 9am-9pm.

To be 10 again. Where a box of Crayola crayons, Elmer's Glue, and new school clothes was an event to look forward to.

To be 10 again. Five decades ago there was no computer, no internet, no social media, no cell phones. While technology has it's benefits to say 'enough already!' is not so simple.

To be 10 again. Harry Potter didn't exist, so this post could not have referenced it.

To be 10 again. Food sensitivities were unheard of. Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches were my staple with grilled cheese a second. Now it's almond butter with a little jelly on a rice cake. Or a "cheese" made with cashews to mimic the real deal.

To recall a poem read in high-school about endless summers and watermelon pickle...whatever that was...I would need to look up who wrote it.

But the time is past. I'm now in my 50s. I have a ten year old. We may go swimming. We went to the library. We will read another chapter in our Harry Potter marathon and he knows about Sirius Black. I'll ask him if he's ever heard about the Dog Star and the dog days of summer.