Gearing up for the Summer

It is a bitter-sweet feeling that Summer is here. While the scorching heat, extreme humidity, make for the bitter part of it (let me tell you that Chennai, must fall under the category of one-of-the-hottest-places-on-Earth every Summer), there are several other reasons that I really look forward to summer every year.

Reasons I love the summer:

1. Vacations!- If its summer, one is officially eligible for a vacation!
2. Watermelon (juice- lots of it)
3. Mangoes (the whole fruit, the juice, the lassi, some dessert- whatever form, which ever variety)
4. Tender coconut (Sure it is available all round the year, but I am always inclined to indulge in them more come summer and sure enough you find that shops make sure to sell them in more numbers this time of year too)
5. Cucumber (same as before)

Now it must be weird that I have given a separate point for some of the seasonal fruits each but that is just how much I love them. It is a delight to watch the markets flooded with all the seasonal stuff (fruits I mentioned above and many other Summer things, which I wont mention here by virtue of being lazy; some other time maybe folks). Making a note to self to indulge in a whole range of Summer Smoothies too with all these seasonal fruits and such.

While we are not in the peak season of the glorious Indian Summer yet (that falls under mid- May in the calender), I believe that the best way to tide over the hot, hot Summer is by practising a few tips and tricks- staying hydrated by drinking as much water and juices as possible, and on that note never leaving your house without a bottle of water, always having a vibrant, colorful umbrella handy if leaving the house, wearing Sunglasses, wearing light and bright colored clothing, staying indoors during the peak hours of the Sun, making sure to leave doors and windows of living rooms wide open during the late evenings, taking bath twice a day- once in the morning and once in the evening coz you tend to perspire that much (remember what I said about humidity?), and wearing the Sunscreen (I wear a min. of SPF 50 during these hot months). And of course praying to God that your electricity supply is stable so that the Air Conditioner works all night.

If we manage to get these right, considering all the other things that the Summer season has to offer (aside from the above reasons, the golden sunshine for one), I think we can all rejoice that Summer is here!