‘Tis the First Day of Summer

This morning, one of my girlfriends wished me a happy first day of summer. At the time, I thought she a day ahead of herself. Then, I found this from WikiAnswers:

When is the first day of summer in 2008?

It depends where you live, since the first day of summer is timed with the summer solstice. For most of the United States, summer begins on June 20. In Europe, it’s June 21. In Australia, it’s six month later, on December 21.

On the other hand, if you are looking for an “official” first day of summer, there is no such thing. The United States, for instance, has never declared when the seasons start. The International Astronomical Union hasn’t either. In many areas of Europe, May 1st is considered the first day of summer (as the meteorologists in the United States do) with the summer solstice being the “midsummer” (as in Shakespeare’s play).

So there you have it. Today is the first day of summer. I wonder if my girlfriend celebrated by taking her girls to the beach? I went to the chiropractor, took my daughter to church so she could practice the organ, and spent the afternoon sorting through old books and paperwork in my house. Sad, I know. What can I say; I’m not a beach person. I am a person with a summer cold, though. That’s my real reason for laying low today.

How about you? How did you spend the first day of summer 2008?