THE LADY SURPRISES US!

We expected her later, but she surprised us with a visit just a few days ago. Surprised us too because she arrived without any thunderous pronouncements but on a gentle breeze.

Just a glimpse of her and our steps were lighter, our days energized. Her presence brings a wonderful interlude after weeks of unbearable extremes.

Beloved as she is, she will leave soon and then return once again. She whispers before she goes, "Next time, I will bring color and stay awhile."

WHAT PRICE BIGOTRY?

When I hear about the immigration "problem" I think of my grandparents and why they came to this country so many years ago. Speaking a different language, dressed "funny," traveling with children, some infants, they came in steerage across an ocean, leaving their families behind. They came to make a better life for themselves and not even the fear of being denied entry here stopped them.

They and their children became citizens who became business people some of whom were successful, some not, and some worked for others. From this humble beginning, 6 generations of families now include doctors, lawyers, writers, scholars, educators, photographers, artists, publishers, charitable benefactors, and religious leaders.

In many ways, members of our family have contributed in large and small ways to our country in return for the opportunities accorded us. Even so, individually and collectively we have experienced bigotry and meanness without cause or reason. How unfortunate for all us, family and strangers alike, that we are living once again through a time of bigotry and meanness.

I wonder what price do we pay as individuals or country for bigotry?

CITY PARKS AND COLD BISQUE

St. Louis, Philadelphia and Paris remind me of each other. All three have long, gracious boulevards that are intercepted by streets from unique neighborhoods. Each has large, well known city parks and gardens. Enjoyable too in each is the surprise of finding a small city park in an unlikely place.

City Park here in St. Louis is such an oasis. It spans just two blocks and is nestled between staid government buildings and modern towers. Opened last year, the Garden displays modern and classic sculpture and fountains. Plantings honor Missouri's native foliage and represent the outline of the Mississippi River.

New this year is The Terrace View Restaurant which overlooks the Garden and the structures which surround it. Visiting there recently, we ordered a cold Bell Pepper and Tomato Bisque which helped, along with the sounds of people splashing in the fountains, overcome the uncomfortable hot afternoon.

SLOW DOWN! IT'S CHINA!

Every once in a while, I use a high tech shop for special printing jobs. The manager is a gracious, skilled manager from China. She has lived in this country many years but does go back to China to visit family. She was there recently. When asked what she thought of the modernization of China, she told me, "It is different, different than here."

She claimed that in China, placing an order for anything requires time to hold conversation and ask questions. "How will the product be used? What is its purpose? Who will use it? Here, people come in and just say, do this!" To me, the difference she was describing sounded like the great cultural divide between East and West.

Here we want as little conversation and few steps to get something done quickly. While in the East, time is taken to understand what needs to be done and why. When I left the shop I realized that I had taken the time for conversation I might not have had otherwise. I had slowed down!

HOT IS HOT!

Many native St. Louians are saying, I've lived in St. Louis all my life and we've never sustained this kind of heat for so long a period of time. Today, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch printed a graph by the National Weather Service that made me wonder.

In 1936, temperatures of 100 degrees or more were sustained here for 37 days. Yet, last year and the year before, we experienced only six days of sustained heat. This year, a good part of the country if not the world, is experiencing weather of more than a 100 degrees sustained day after day. It is hard to remember a time when people had no fans or air conditioners, unfortunately some still don't have either, as we are told to take precautions against the heat. But I do wonder how personal discomfort squares with history?

Whatever, it is hot!

POOL THERAPY AND THE AMA

My apartment building has a rooftop pool which is open from Memorial Day to Labor Day. The sun beats down on it all day. Recently, a sign was posted in our lobby informing us that the pool would be closed for two days for "Pool Therapy."

I was curious as to what Pool Therapy Meant. The life guard told me because of the summer heat, algae had formed at the bottom of the pool. The Therapy refers to scrubbing algae off the pool bottom with a long brush and some chemicals. When I went on line to learn more about the product used all I found was the product's name and order forms.

I have friends with in ground and above ground pools and a few with man-made ponds where they raise exotic fish. All speak about requirements for cleaning the water and surrounding area. None talked about the need for therapy sessions.

I guess it was merchandising mavens who decided to call ordinary cleaning and maintenance of pools, "Therapy Sessions." Wonder what the AMA thinks of this?