The Heat Index is What?

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It is stinkin' hot out.  Again.  I've lost count of how many days in a row it's been hotter than 100 degrees.  Not to be a whiner or anything (well, maybe a little bit), but it is ridiculously hot.

Toronto, even Toronto, Ontario, Canada is having a heat wave so I know we're not alone in this steaming pool of sweat we're calling summer this year.  Determined I am to stop fussing about it and have a good attitude, so I've been working on a list of reasons why summer is great, just as a reminder to myself that summer is my favorite season.

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Top 13 Reasons Why Summer is Wonderful

1. The sun comes up early and goes down late.  All those lovely hours of brightness bring joy to a soul that becomes depressed during winter's short days.
2. Flowers bloom abundantly, blasting the world with vibrant color.
3. Ice Cream.
4. Fewer layers of clothes are necessary, so getting ready in the morning is quicker.
5. Everyone seems more relaxed and cheerful. 
6. No need to grab a jacket and maybe boots, hat, scarf, gloves, whatever, before waddling out the door into the winter world.
7. Fresh peaches and blueberries and raspberries and watermelon - you get the idea.
8. The birds unite in an amazing chorus as the sun rises and a few of the more energetic ones engage in melodious solos as the sun sets.
9. Iced tea and iced coffee.
10. The beach.  I know there are lots of mountain and woods lovers, but I am a beach woman.  The sound of crashing waves; the salty, fishy smell; the sun glittering almost blindingly on the water and the strong vibrant pull of the ocean, man, I get excited just thinking about it.
11. Bar-b-quing, so nice and healthy because all that bad fat just drips away.  Confession - mostly I love bar-b-quing because my husband or one of my sons does the cooking.
12. Corn on the cob, vine-ripened tomatoes, all those fresh, delicious veggies.
13. Vacation!  Sometimes we can afford one and sometimes we can't, but it's great to get away. 

It's a little scary how many of my reasons are related to food, but that explains the weight-gain issue.  

So here you go, I hope you feel happier about summer right now.  I know I do.
And by the way, what would you add to the list?