It’s a hazy, hot, and humid Father’s Day out here on the East Coast – perfect weather to hopefully break the remains of this head cold that has held my sinuses captive for the past week.

One of the first things you notice about these northern climes when you’ve been in the Desert Southwest for a while is that the intensity of the sun is so much less. While the humidity and the heat may feel more oppressive, you don’t get the sense that the sun is trying to burn a hole in your skin. Here, you can actually lay outside for an hour or so and allow yourself to tan a little bit – if you tried to do that in our backyard in Arizona, all you’ll end up with is a bad burn (as my sister-in-law found out the first time she visited).

The other thing you notice out here is how a breeze feels. Even on a hot day like this, there’s enough moisture in the air so that even the slightest breeze can provide some cooling relief to the brow, especially if you’re under a big ol’ shade tree. In Arizona, because there’s no moisture in the air, any breeze just moves the hot air around faster – sorta like you’re living in a convection oven.

Not that in Arizona you can’t find relief – it’s just that where we live, it takes a little longer to find it. Here in the heart of Middlesex County, the ocean is just an hour away, the White Mountains of New Hampshire 2 or so. Out in Gilbert, relief is a full, hard-driving three hours and 4,000 feet away, up in Prescott, better yet Flagstaff. So, I guess it’s just a matter of time and desire.

BTW, The Great White Shank wants to wish everybody out there the happiest of Father’s Days. I don’t think the rabbits got me anything, but that’s OK – being able to spend it here in MA with my own dad is gift enough. In this day and age where the joys and rewards of “traditional” families are constantly de-emphasized and under attack from a variety of quarters, any occasion that provides the means to celebrate and/or recognize the love, guidance, and influence our parents have provided us (for those lucky or fortunate enough to be able to say that, of course) is a good thing indeed. I count myself as one of those fortunate ones, as my dad has given me just that in his own quiet way.

This Father’s Day will be a bittersweet one for Red of Surviving Grady (one of my favorite blogs), who lost his just the other day. All prayers and good thoughts go out to Red and his family.