Summer Solstice

Fifty years ago last month, Tom and I graduated from college.  Although camera-shy Audrey is younger than both of us, she earned her B.A. three months earlier at Barnard.

Who better to spend the summer solstice with at their beautifully landscaped home in North Andover, MA?  Time doesn't go by quite so fast on the longest day of the year.

Zoltan, their son, was with us in spirit.  That's his childhood dino on the front step.  It occupied the same pride of place in Bernardsville, NJ, where he and Magda mostly grew up.

Tom spends a lot of time skimming the pool, especially when it's windy.  The water temperature hovered at a delightful 80 degrees, still cool enough to be refreshing.  Audrey gardens, a massive job.

I took a walk before the rest of gang arrived on Saturday.  The well-preserved Parson Barnard House was built in 1715.

It's located on Osgood Street, a name familiar from my quick tour of the Second Burial Ground.  

Zoltan had taken me to the First Burial Ground, a Revolutionary War cemetery, two years ago.

If you've ever caroled "O Little Town of Bethlehem," you've got Phillips Brooks, an Episcopal clergyman, to thank.  He towers above the town common.

Walking really helped me appreciate the beauty of the neighborhood.  Flowers bloomed everywhere.  

Magda, Joe and the D-Kids blew in like hurricane for their first pool day of the season.

Joe hit forty last year.  Magda still has 15 months before she reaches that milestone.  It appears she finally has left tanning behind.

Dagny turned seven earlier this month.

 

Della will be five in July

. . . and Desmond two the same month.

Magda dove into the pool with élan.

Della needed some coaxing from Audrey to jump.

Dagny did not.  She's loving an after-school swimming program at the Boys and Girls Club in Boston.

Meanwhile, the men of the Lazar family conformed to type.  Joe prepped the spic 'n span gas grill with some help from an IPA

 . . Desi adopted a wait-and-see attitude

. . . and Moofy loafed.  It turns out we share a prescription for meloxicam.

Audrey makes sure the D-Girls have a full complement of art supplies.  Della solved the Hermes Mystery at the Grooms' in between poking me with her pencil.

Dagny used her art work as a sun shield.

Apparently, Della shares her little brother's fascination with trucks.

Dagny loves decorating her Crocs.  Would you believe it costs $20 to plug up ten of those holes?

Before the day was done, I was back in Manhattan, dreading the forecast heatwave.  The days start getting shorter tomorrow.