My Favorite Summer Show...

ah, fix yourself something cool and perhaps a little decadent and go vacation for an hour. My absolutely favorite show of last summer and I am giddy that it has been brought back this summer is "Royal Pains." It is about a "concierge doctor" for hire in the Hamptons. He is somewhat of a medical McGyver, rescuing the rich and secretive from near death experiences with nothing more than his medical bag.

Ok, here are the brothers, handsome Dr. Hank Lawson and his financially challenged brother Evan. This is the carriage house they live in for free...

the beautiful assistant, Divya. She is committed to an Indian man who she does not completely love but is going through with the wedding plans for her family.

the very handsome Dr. Hank. Practical, smart, sexy and can bring anyone back from the near-dead.

Marcia Gay Harden shows up as Dr. Elizabeth Blair a very bossy doctor at the Hamptons Hospital who is used to getting things her way.

and in the last 30 seconds of last week's episode, we hear the Dr. Hank and Evan's no-good daddy is about to emerge...and is no other than Henry Winkler. Bring on the fun.

Zexy Campbell Scott plays billionaire Boris Kuerster VonJurgens-Ratenicz. Memba him from "Singles"? I was just nowhere near your neighborhood...I guess you have to have seen that movie a dozen times like I did. I will love him forever as that handsome city architect.

The fun for the viewer is that for those rich enough to have their own private summer doctor, where they live is well, they've called it "real estate porn." They said it, not me.

Even on the Hamptons, I didn't imagine a place like this. I mean I am pretty familiar with Kennebunkport, Maine (The Bushies don't even live in a house this big) and the Vineyard (where you get elegant clapboard) but the money in the Hamptons is a whole different kettle of fish.

Boris getting his hair cut on his estate in front of his fountain. That happens at your house, right? The concierge Dr. Hank and his brother were invited to live in his carriage house while the doctor tries to figure out exactly what this mystery illness is and help discover a cure. See, told ya, what's more fun than this? Thursday nights. USA. It's not Sex and the City, but it's the next best thing, IMO.

"Queequeg" - the finished product...

The achieved look was complete by keeping enough hair to make a "top knot",

and a beautiful (temporary) Mendhi tatoo that I drew on his arm. That was a fun - but unexpected - artistic experience! Life with kids...if you had told me that when I got up that morning I'd be tatooing my son by nightfall, I'd have asked you what you were drinking. The effect seemed to be as desired, shock and awe, and hopefully an "A" from the teacher.

Carter Darter

"No, Mom, really, it's for English class. We are all dressing up like a character in "Moby Dick" and I want to be Queequeg, the savage guy." "Ummm, can I shave my head?"

So always being up for an adventure in life, I told him "yes". So yesterday I watched...bravely... all of his beautiful thick hair fall away. So beautiful it should not be wasted on a boy. In the summer, dang him, he gets these natural highlights that last him almost until the next summer.

The stylist was having fun, but gone is the great "soccer" hair that effortlessly falls right back into place after running up and down the field and looks better at the beach with a little salt in it.

This mat was clean when she started. The kid had a lot of hair - beautiful hair - did I already say that?

Little brother can't stop touching the close shave. Mother is just waiting for it to grow back. (secretly I think Mr. Carter is, too - and oh by the way, after the big "Moby Dick" dress up English class today...we headed back to the barber's and they took the front bit off - no charge)

the garden is rockin'

No rhyme or reason at the beginning of planting this pretty garden by my side entry. It gets a ton of sun so I put in everything I knew
that could take it. Thinking back I always was envious of people who could have such a garden and was sure that you had to go to "garden college" or something to make it happen.

I do water every day and am very pleased with the performance of these flowers! But really, just a little knowledge about sun versus shade, perennial versus annual, lots of water and you are off and running. 15 years ago, I just had 4 pots in the front yard of our house in Georgetown. 4 pots of different flowers on the front stoop. I thought I was so clever ; )

They are waving at you - wave back!

Pansies still ok. I find the little yellow ones get beaten up by the sun. They probably won't be around too much longer, but everything around them are still getting bigger and greener. I am starting to be a satisfied gardener.

a little shoe issue...

this weekend we had to face it head on. The shoe problem. Truthfully, momma is the only one who has "too many"...it's just that there are 5 of us here and we are on the very verge of summer and our winter boots are still in the kitchen closet. So we just pulled them all out into the light of day, tried them all on and let's just say that 10 people will be very happy with practically brand new shoes and boots that all have grown out of.

On Memorial Day...

we are proud to march with the Scouts...

and proud to march with the Band...

and proud to honor those who sacrificed...

and happy to have good friends.