Summer Meme

Annedroid has a set of questions about summer.

1. What first tells you that summer is here?
Here in the sunny South, it's sometimes hard to tell when one season ends and another one begins. For me, summer officially begins during the last week of school. The students are ready to be out, and so are the teachers. Things tend to be a bit more relaxed, although there are those students we have to deal with that think they can go a bit overboard with their behavior. By the time the final day rolls around, we all have no problem saying goodbye to school for a couple of months. By this time, the sun is up early and sets late, the days are longer, and there is more time to do things.

2. Name 5 of your distinctively summer habits or customs.
Sleeping in. During the school year, I get up between 5:30 and 6:00 each morning. During the summer, I get up when I get up. Sometimes it's before 7:00, sometimes it's not till 9:00. Along with sleeping in, I also stay up later at night.
Dressing down. Mostly I wear shorts, T-shirts, and flip flops. There are few reasons for me to wear slacks, and even fewer reasons to wear a tie. It's summer and, at least in my mind, I'm at the beach.
Eating less. Summer is a good time for me to lose weight. Many days I'll skip lunch, and dinner is usually lighter than it is the rest of the year.
Drinking more. I drink a lot more water and iced tea during the summer. Even though sweet tea is the official drink of the South, we usually drink tea unsweetened. It quenches your thirst far better.
Travel. During the school year, we don't have as much time to travel, so any longer trips are reserved for summer. The rise in gas prices this year has changed that a bit though. We have already had to cancel a trip I really wanted to take because of the cost.
There is a sixth thing we do in the summer. We try to tackle one or two home improvement projects. This year it's the kitchen.

3. What is your favorite smell of summer?
I have two favorite smells. The first is a combination of the smells of the beach. Suntan lotion, salt water, cooking food, and the other fragrances that come together to say ocean. The second is a combination of the smells of the mountains. Pine, campfires, the fresh smell of a quick rain storm.

4. What is your favorite taste of summer?
I guess my favorite taste would have to be the taste of anything cooked outside on a charcoal or gas grill. Hamburgers, hot dogs, steak, chicken, BBQ. If it's cooked on a grill, I like it.

5. What is your favorite summer memory?
Wow. I have so many great memories, from trips taken when I was growing up, to trips taken with my wife and children. The Smoky Mountains, the Outer Banks, Niagara Falls, the Bahamas, and more. So many places and so many memories.

6. Extreme heat or extreme cold? Which would you choose and why?
I'd have to say extreme cold. I've always had an easier time getting warm when it's cold. I tend to run a bit warm, so hot weather tends to wipe me out.

7. What books do you plan to read for the season?
Surprised by Hope for the second time. Next Man Up (a book about the NFL). A few more, ranging from serious to fiction.

8.How does the summer affect your faith? Is it a hindrance or an ally?
I used to kind of take the summer off with my faith. Now, summer is a good time to spend more time exploring and thinking about how to follow Jesus more closely. When we travel, I like to visit churches that are different than what we are used to at home, and I try to draw from those different traditions.