Sleeping with the windows open...

. . . feeling the breeze as it blows across you . . . listening to the night sounds . . . snuggling under the covers on the really cool nights (like last night . . . and it's about time) . . . bemoaning the fact that you have to get out of that nice warm bed and go to work (like this morning . . . hmmm). There's nothing quite like sleeping with the windows open, at least not for me. I live for this time of year when I can keep the windows open all the time. And there's always the bonus of having nice low utility bills . . . . . :)

However, I feel like it's something that alot of the younger generation doesn't understand or appreciate. For example, our nextdoor neighbor is the age of our oldest son (30ish) and I always hear his air conditioner running at night, even when it's nice and cool outside. Now, maybe it's not his fault, maybe he was raised in a climate-controlled home with single-hung storm windows that didn't open at the top and no attic fan. Pity!!!

I grew up falling asleep to the hum (and rattle) of an attic fan that pulled in the elusive cool air from outside. You sure don't find those in new homes these days. We would get in front of the fans in the house and talk into them to create that great strobe-effect sound . . . if you don't know what I'm talking about, you should try it . . . . . :) And my boys all grew up sleeping with the windows open when it was nice outside. They know the sound of a slamming screen door . . . we're talking the old-fashioned non-stormdoor type here.

This is a wonderful time of year and takes me back to a much gentler time . . . when you didn't have to worry about your kids walking to school alone or riding their bikes to the store or staying out after dark during the summer playing hide and seek with their friends all over the neighborhood. Ahhhhhh . . . but that's another story . . . . . :)