The meat and greet.

It was another scorcher this morning, even though I left early when it would supposedly be cool outside. I was already sweating not even a block from home, thanks to the 69 degree temperature and high humidity. I decided to walk down to the river and try to get a few pictures at the marina.

As I stole through the sleepy neighborhoods, it was quiet, save for the occasional breeze which stirred wind chimes and made some melodic music, but, that breeze was not discernible enough to keep Old Glory from hanging limply on holders and flagpoles. Homes boasted their red-white-and-blue swag along fences and facades.

A sure sign that the warmer weather has arrived, is the increased sidewalk art. I studied the many cement panes with drawings and squiggles and decided I liked these “girlfriends” pictured above the best.

The closer I got to the river, the warmer it got, especially those lapses between the welcome shade from the big trees on the Boulevard. Something that was not welcome, however, was the smell of fish, as it wafted from the Detroit River as I wended my way through Wyandotte. Well PU! Remember we used that expression back when we were kids, whenever something smelled horrible? It got worse as I neared the water, so I made an about face and headed for home.

I watched a woman pull into her driveway and she flipped open her car trunk lid and it had a cache of picnic goodies inside. Munchies galore peeked out over Meijer bags, as did bottles of Pepsi, packages of hamburger buns and disposable cups. A bag of charcoal briquettes was propped up in the corner of the trunk as well. There will be BBQ doin’s at that house over the weekend. Maybe today for National Hamburger Day? For many, it is the first time for grilling this year and it will be a smokin’ hot weekend to do so with friends and family. I heard a piece on the radio that there is a resurgence in using charcoal briquettes instead of propane gas, as that method of cooking guarantees tastier grilled food. Growing up we had a kettle grill in the backyard and a Hibachi to use at picnics. It seemed to take forever for the food to get cooked and we’d nibble on cold salads and munchies until our dinner was ready to eat. Now you fire up the propane grill in minutes and can even use a smartphone app to ensure grilling perfection. I wonder who is the official grillmeister in the family these days – the man or the woman? Or do they share responsibilities for the outside cooking? It used to be the dad’s domain – so you ladies - if you’re the grillmeister of the family, well … you go grill, er ... girl.

I was happy to be home to cool off after my four-mile venture, and, yes you can call me a spoil sport, or maybe my moniker should be malcontent, but I am already looking forward to next week’s more moderate temps.

You can catch up on my blog posts before I started blogging at Patch in August 2013 by going here: http://lindaschaubblog.net/