The 43

I forgot to bring the iPod with. The sun might set behind a cloudy front that is moving in. But I still see orange to the west, and it undeniably feels like summer today. It's the solstice, and once again, I'm back on the hillside at Donner Park, reflecting on the year that just passed. And oh my, did it fly by. A year ago , I was coming off a big transition with work, the death of my friend Tom, and trying to make sense of the new direction I was headed in. But the year went fast. So fast. Too fast. As a writer, I try avoid using the word "very" because it's a useless modifier, but here it's applying: very fast. This past year has been the craziest blur of my life. Not crazy bad, not even just crazy busy or unique. Just instantaneous -- more so than I can ever remember. Senior year of high school? Didn't go this fast. The first year out of college? Not this fast. The last couple years in Madison? Nope. The year after Michael was born. Not quite. 201...

Sitting on the porch tonight, and damn it's humid for Utah. Some clouds rolled in but there is no breeze at all, and it hasn't cooled off from this afternoon. We'll be leaving the AC on tonight ... My Monday was productive. Got a lot of work done all day but also managed to do this 30-minute workout I've been sweating through lately and get the dog for a walk. I took Michael to his basketball practice and had pizza for dinner. Ben felt a little dizzy today, so he missed Scouts, but he should be OK for swim practice in the morning. It wasn't a perfect Monday, but it wasn't a bad one either.

I'm a little disappointed. That was a long stretch without recording summer, and I feel like I'm giving up to easy. And in the meantime, two weeks have passed since school ended for the boys. Out of the gate, the adjustment to summer is tricky, and I've just been tired most nights to want to write. We've been busy, but not that busy. So here I am, Father's Day, June 18, my 26th day of summer, and I need to try recapping the last three weeks. Here goes nothing ... and everything: Ben and I went to a Real Salt Lake game on Day 4. We hadn't seen a game since maybe 2013, and I don't think we've seen a game in which RSL scored until 2011. And they won! 1-0. We filled up on barbecue before the game (it was a team event for the boys' swim teams), and got out quickly after finding a good parking spot before game time. We went to the JCC pool for the first time this summer on Day 5. Memorial Day was Day 6. Actually worked some of it. Michael and I al...