But even if the yard I have now had such an excellent, private, grassy location for such an activity, there would still be the price of water to consider, not to mention the local restrictions on its use, which forbid afternoon watering. I guess that my childhood memory will remain always only that, and I'll never get a chance to relive it. I can relive the cold drinks and the chilled melon slices and the frozen candy bars (I was partial to the truffle-like U-No bar) but the opportunity for cooling, outdoor showers will most likely remain unavailable. Sad.
The crickets, however, still sing to me by night, and the waxing moon still shines, and vagrant breezes rustle the leaves as I sit on my back porch. I didn't get much nocturnal outdoor time when I was a kid, as my bedtime was not long after sunset. Now and then I'd be allowed to stay up to watch the stars come out, and see Orion and the Big and Little Dippers, but I really had to wait until I was older to fully enjoy the pleasures of the night. A trade off, I guess. It's just that today it didn't seem worth it. Maybe it will again tomorrow.