Doing nothing during lazy, hazy days of song’s summer

Nat King Cole had it right when he sang about “those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer,” a time of year we wish would stay around just a little bit longer in our part of the world.

But already the leaves are falling from some trees, suggesting our summer will soon be a memory of a season that started late and may just finish early, depending on the whim of Mother Nature.

So, let’s enjoy the days of August that are left to us and maybe even pack a picnic basket with “sandwiches and weenies” as Mr. Cole suggested. There are two international days this month that tie in quite nicely with enjoying the lazy part of the song.

On Aug. 10, the day will be devoted to being lazy while Aug. 15 is billed as a day to relax. Certainly, the two could be interchangeable — relaxing on Aug. 10 and being lazy on Aug. 15. There is no historical reference point for who proclaimed these days, or why, but there are some suggestions provided on how to observe each of the days. Again, there is a similarity of activities. The one I like best is “doing nothing.” Some might find it difficult to celebrate in this way, but hand me a book, a swatter for the flies, wasps and mosquitoes and a nice cool drink just inches away from my chair and I will be a happy camper. What a perfect lazy day, in the backyard, or in the park under a large tree.

Another suggestion is going to a spa, but that would be work for me. Getting those compression stockings on and off to partake of the spa services is more work than I care to undertake on days for being lazy or relaxing.

A trip to the lake to fish might be OK, as long as someone else is prepared to bait the hook and clean the catch. In the early years when I went fishing with my Dad, I continually got my line tangled in the weeds and was eventually encouraged to go sit with Mom who was enjoying the outing by reading a book and drinking lemonade. It was a good thing she packed a lunch because we would have starved on what we didn’t catch. But there was some relaxation involved. Golf is listed as another way to relax. What about the stress of missing the green, landing in a sand trap or water hazard, or worse, not being able to find one’s ball?

I’ve seen some golfers who definitely aren’t relaxed as they putter from hole to hole in their carts. They are there to win and phooey on having a relaxing game with friends.

Another idea is to lounge in a hammock. I tried that once and possibly because of balance problems, had trouble getting in and even more trouble getting out. Thankfully there were no cellphone cameras available back then to record those ungainly moments.

Also on the list is attending a movie. Unless it is raining or the movie is at the drive-in, it seems a waste of summer to be cooped up in a dark theatre for two hours while being forced to listen to the murder of respectful language and conversation. That brings me back to the beginning of the list and right now I’m heading off to do absolutely nothing, expect perhaps to figure out how to celebrate Potato Day on Aug. 19.