Life is a Beach

God, I love living in The Beaches! It's days like these that really bring it home to me.
While the rest of Toronto sweltered in 35°C heat, down by the lake it was more like a perfectly manageable 28°C, with a pleasant accompanying breeze. I don't remember the last time we used our air conditioning (I imagine it was the last time we had American visitors during the summer, accustomed as they are to living in an ice-box during the nice weather).
During our usual post-prandial constitutional, everybody and their dog (oh, yes, LOTS of dogs) was out there doing all manner of things. Here is just a sample that I happened to notice tonight: beach volleyball; kite-surfing; stand-up paddling; swimming; paddling; tai chi, or something similar; open-air self-defence classes; the guy who is always there playing the harmonica, in a little world of his own; a busker playing a stand-up piano right on the boardwalk; another regular flying three huge long-tailed kites, much to the delight of several camera-toting visitors (the giant bubble lady was not there tonight: she is always a big hit); a small boy collecting pebbles and stacking them in neat size-delimited piles; a family group playing a game I couldn't figure out, involving a ball, a table and bats (not table tennis, although the table tennis table was in use too); three bowls greens fully occupied by lawn bowlers, and one more hosting several rather erratic games of croquet; an amateur league baseball game in the park; any number of courting couples a-courting; cyclists; roller-bladers; roller-skaters; walkers; runners; and probably a whole host of activities that escaped me. And all that on a leisurely half hour stroll along the boardwalk!
And, of course, that's not all. Free music festivals and/or sponsored charity runs/walks at some point pretty much every weekend (including the Beaches Jazz Festival that takes over the streets for several days each year). Amateur Shakespeare in the park, craft shows, art shows, fireworks on Bank Holidays, etc. More pubs, cafes and restaurants than you can shake a stick at. Comprehensive everyday shopping all available on the main street, within easy walking distance. The best-looking women in the whole of the city parading up and down the beach, and a pretty good sample of men too. House prices to shake your head at (unless you happen to own one of them). The wonderful Beaches Library (and a choice of second-hand book stores for those who prefer to own). Streetcars direct to downtown (or buses up to the subway).
I could go on and on (and indeed I have done). But God, I love it! It's very easy to get blasé, and it's not a bad idea to remind yourself of some of the good things about where you live from time to time.