An envisioning. 1999, and the tiger lilies blooming away at the house on Lake Cochichewick.

Oh to be here.

A sweet tea and then another. Not quite summer warm yet, at least not if you are from somewhere in the South. But duck families to watch and those not to be missed with their baby-sitting aunties trailed across the lake by baby after baby doing his or her best to keep up, with an uncle duck bringing up the rear.

A mental health day and that a treat. A prominent lady doctor and all that, but needing to sit out in the sun sometime before summer sweeps by, and it's no more flip-flops day again, along with the peep-toe heels the secretaries seem to adore. Not being allowed if you are anywhere near likely to get stuck by a needle, but being able to enjoy them on someone else's feet as she traverses the carpet between the printer and the fax machine.

All of that a treat and having enough money to go to Neiman Marcus with whatever's left after the children's tuition bills get paid even more fun.

But yet . . .

Not like being a Georgia Sea Island born and raised person, for sure. The beaches there covered with sand to sit on, and that all year round, if you are willing to squeeze your eyes almost shut when the winter winds blow the wrong way and head for Africa, instead of past the Florida shore.

Aqua blue beach cover-ups you can sit on the beach in and not get the thing covered with New England mud . . . what people from Massachusetts call a beach but the Lord only knows they have no idea . . .

Model Ina Balke wears a short blue beach dress by Bessie Becker, photo Regina Relang, Film und Frau Spring-Summer 1959. vintagefashionmagazines on Instagram. via Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/vintagefashionmagazines/p/DM9vqWooXX2/?hl=en

I've personally seen Lake Cochichewick, which is located in North Andover, Massachusetts, or some nearby pond. I used to take the commuter rail up to Lawrence, which was a few stops after North Andover, to pick up data for my old employer's annual report. The train would pass a lake or pond that, even at that season, in late winter or very early spring, had waterbirds. It was just beautiful.