…and just like that our last day of 100-degree temperatures is gone. The highs the next week? 97-95-97-85-88-91-91-93. More importantly, at least as far as the pool is concerned, the lows 68-69-73-71-69-69-69-70, meaning the pool temperature, which just a couple of weeks ago was still hanging around 90, will crash into non–swimmingness. Last year we made it to the 29th of September as the last triple-digit day. Tonight, we’ve got our French doors wide open on the patio, and the air conditioning feels no need to click itself on. It’s not Arizona winter yet – that will come in a few weeks when the 90s melt away into the 80s and 70s – but not too many people are going to mourn the end of triple-digits and tonight feels mighty fine.

I have some Cruzan Hurricane rum – 137-proof “Strong enough to weather any storm” the saying goes, and I’ll enjoy a finger of it with an ice cube under happy pineapple lights on the back patio. Carmelo told me to stop watering the grass today so he can buzz the front, side, and back yards like a number-one buzz in two weeks and seed the winter rye. I listened to him today with glazed-over eyes: work has been an absolute bear this week, a string of 12-hour days starting at 6 AM and ending somewhere near 7 PM and I’m mentally and physically exhausted. Another year, another summer gone here in the Valley of the Sun, and I can’t help but think the whole year has been an absolute waste, creatively, emotionally, and physically, with really nothing to show for it except me just getting older, like Brian Wilson sings on the last Beach Boys song on their final original release:

Summer’s gone
Summer’s gone away
Gone away
With yesterday

Old friends have gone
They’ve gone their separate ways
Our dreams hold on
For those who still have more to say

Summer’s gone
Gone like yesterday
The nights grow cold
It’s time to go
I’m thinking maybe I’ll just change (stay)

…another summer’s gone.

Summer’s gone
It’s finally sinking in
One day begins
Another ends
I live them all and back again

Summer’s gone
It’s finally sinking in
One day begins
Another ends
I live them all and back again

Summer’s gone
I’m gonna sit and watch the waves
We laugh, we cry
We live then die
And dream about our yesterday