Hot town, summer in the city
Back of my neck getting burnt and gritty
Been down, isn’t it a pity
Doesn’t seem to be a shadow in the city
“Summer In The City” by Lovin’ Spoonful

While some people, who shall not be named, have been lounging about the beach, on the shores of Lake Superior, drinking beers and generally having a good time, I have been working hard and sweating in the city. Those of us in the Lou know that this has been one hot town this month. One could curl up and lie low, or just die, but I chose not to be down nor feel self-pity. I try to stay busy, at work and outside of work too.

To beat the heat, prime time becomes the hours about dawn, the coolest time of the day. I have been riding almost everyday and almost always for 15 miles. On Monday, I saw the {ferret | weasel | polecat} again. The light was better this time, so its fur’s coloration is a uniform dark brown and not black as originally reported. It was again in the middle of the road, opposite the lower Muny lot. Both times it was scavenging trash. Tuesday morning, I forsook cycling in lieu of mowing and trimming the lawn. Again, only the early morning hours are hospitable to outside activities.

The genesis of this post’s title comes from Tuesday’s stop at Starbucks. In an effort to personalize the Starbucks experience the helpful and friendly staff strives to first learn, then remember your name. The ostensive reason for this is so they can write your name on the cup of your beverage. This is helpful at busy times, one Latté looks a lot like another. I’m convinced that it is really just a marketing ploy, all designed to enhance the Starbucks experience. One of the Latté Ladies has taken to riffing with puns on my name, “I’m marking Mark’s Latté with my marker.” Lately she has taken to marking by drink cup, Marked. I asked her on Tuesday, if I was again a marked man and she smiled thanked me for my sense of humor, “You have to have fun at work.”

Tuesday was also vehicle maintenance day. I took the Prizum into the shop for a checkup and came out with new radiator hoses for $400+. Dave is returning to town, while we are away. While he is here, I have arranged for some driving lessons for him. It is an outfit run by current and ex-cops. A friend at work recommended them to me. He’ll leave town, before we return, so he might take the Prizum with him. I had promised him the Corolla, but we will still be using it. We’ll have to workout the exchange of prisoners later. Also on Tuesday, I took the Litespeed into the bike shop. They’ll install the bottom bracket and crank arms, plus adjust the rear derailleur for me and all for only $40. This is why I like bicycles so much more than cars; they are so darn inexpensive by comparison.

So, I have been as busy as the bees in the lotus blossom, pictured above. As I’m working in the city, I’m also working through my checklist. Soon, but not soon enough, I’ll be able to sky too. Then I’ll be able to stop singing the first tune and start singing the following one.

Left a good job in the city,
Working for The Woman every night and day,
And I never lost one minute of sleeping,
Worrying ’bout the way things might have been.
 “Proud Mary” by Creedence Clearwater Revival