Today is cloudy and cool: rain is coming with a high of 7°C. Yet, it's been sunny off and on all week: I've even been out washing the siding. Here, algae (or moss, I'm not sure which) can grow on vinyl siding during the cool, rainy winter. I wasn't familiar with the problem when I lived in the Maritimes: I suspect with the cold winters there - which keep the water frozen - it's too dry for moss to grow on the siding.

When I wash the siding, it signifies the coming of summer. Out here, of course, our summers aren't very hot - compared, for instance, to the mainland Maritimes or PEI. Here, a summer temperature of 21° is common. So when the temp gets up into the high teens, it feels like summer. As I've observed previously, our weather is mild on Canada's West Coast: summer can start in April.

Yesterday I was suntanning. The sun's power was intoxicating. Of course, I never wear sun block (none of us does in this family), so I had to come in before I wanted to. For me, tanning is a great mood enhancer.

Of course, some people tan for beauty. Like the clothes, the makeup, and the accessories, the tan becomes part of the look. I realize more and more that, for many people, self-improvement is centered around improving one's appearance. Being thinner, being tanner, being enhanced....all are goals toward the ultimate objective of looking attractive. In such a mindset, looking is much more important than knowing - except for knowing how to look good.

I grew up with the ethic that self improvement involves education or acquiring new skills. For me, putting emphasis on appearance is new - but I can't deny that in this society, it's very important.

I don't know if I'll catch up to Daniel Craig, the man at the right. Of course, he's James Bond currently. He's a Brit, and would you believe he's two years older than I am? I'm a big fan:)

Wikipedia was a source for this article.