Ahoy, Summer!

At last - summer has officially begun! A colorful ship on the Hudson River signals the beginning of the season's possibilities. This was an unusual sight off the Piermont Pier -- but a welcome one.

Great Show for Dog Lovers

If you love dogs (and who - really - doesn't?), there's a show on the National Geographic Channel that you should definitely check out: DogTown.

Part of an immense animal rescue compound in southern Utah, the professionals and volunteers of DogTown give dogs of all makes and models a second chance at life. Each week follows 2 to 3 cases that will literally have you tearing up at both the circumstances in which these animals are found, and the remarkable efforts to heal and rehabilitate them for adoption to loving homes. It's one cool place.

It airs Friday evenings at 10pm (here in the East, anyway). Check it out.

Rain, Rain...

GO AWAY! I've lost count of how many consecutive days it's been raining here in the great Northeast, but it's too damn many!! Tomorrow is supposedly the first day of summer, but you wouldn't know it from the constant hammering on the roof of raindrops. Sun -- what sun? It briefly appeared yesterday, only to be quickly overpowered by more great grey clouds.

Ironically, Seattle has had a run of wonderfully sunny weather.

The Crazies Are in Bloom

Two days ago, an irate parent walked into my daughter's middle school with a gun (it wasn't loaded, but nobody knew that until the situation was resolved), and proceeded to lock himself and the school superintendent in the super's office. He threatened the man, who calmly talked to him until he had a chance to knock the gun away and wrestle the man to the floor. Police outside the office then shot the hinges off the door and entered. No one was hurt.

What the hell? From news reports, the man was upset over a standard letter sent home regarding the "swine" flu in the school. He had spoken to the superintendent earlier that morning over the phone, and apparently felt he had to convey his displeasure personally. He was a former New York City police officer who had a son in the middle school who was home sick. Whether it was the H1N1 flu, or whatever, is still unknown.

The school went into lockdown. Police were all over. The SWAT team was called in. My daughter said they were in the computer lab when the school siren went off, lights began to flash and the PA system announced they were in a "code red lockdown". The teacher locked the doors, turned out the lights, and everyone had to go to the section of the room away from the door. Many hid under their desks for several hours. No one really knew what was going on. They could see police outside, and at one point the ambulance carried somebody away on a stretcher. After three hours and a thorough search of the school, an "all clear" was issued.

What the hell? What are people thinking? This is a small town outside of New York. It could be a small town

anywhere. To go into a school with 6th, 7th and 8th graders - with a gun - to threaten a school official over a matter not handled to your satisfaction --- What did he think he was going to accomplish? I don't know the man. I don't know his family. I feel sorry for his son who will have to go back to school and face everyone.

Thank God no one was hurt. Just a lot of scared kids. (And parents) Our community owes a debt of gratitude to our brave and quick-thinking superintendent, Dr. Ken Mitchell.

Summer's in the Air

At last - spring is beginning to give way to summer. Flowers galore, everywhere you look. Green grass, green trees, happy birds, busy bees. Perfect.

This is the best part of summer to me: warm days, cool nights. Before the high humidity and sweltering, oven-like days take over - when you gasp at the furnace blast as you first step out of your house in the morning. Right now, everything's mellow. Everything's cool. Nothing has been scorched yet.

The beginning of summer always seems so full of possibilities. Wonderful adventures to be had.

Does summer make everyone feel at least a little like they did when they were kids?