Today, I am celebrating. I have at least ten reasons and two very good ones. One way I celebrate is this great song that always brings back memories of real vacations I have had from the time I was a teenager. We’ve probably been to Mexico or the Caribbean fifteen times. (is it Cu RIB e un or Care uh BE un? Oh well, too-MAE-toe, too MAH toe, whichever, you know what I mean—I’ll get to that part later!) I love beaches and the beauty of roaring waves, and the simplicity of a good book and a cold drink.

Sometimes, a song can take you to places in your memory where you know exactly where you were and what you were doing at that moment. I have a bunch of summer of ’78 songs that I can’t sing without thinking of that carefree summer before I left for college that was filled with the love of friends, water skiing on Lake Conroe, and pure abandon of any responsibility. Anyone remember Lionel Richie’s “Three Times a Lady?” I guess I’ll spare you that one as I stroll down memory lane. However, “Guantanamera” is a vacation in a moment for me, so that one I will share. Okay, wait a minute. . .go get yourself a nice tall glass of something cool and put a parasol and a pineapple in it. I’ll wait. . . Now, are you ready? Transport yourself. . .

I have to confess that for years, I sang with the mariachis, “One-ton tomato…I ate a one-ton tomato. One-ton tomato. . .hmm hmm hmm hmm hmm. . .” I’m not sure if it was my heavy Texas accent or my warped sense of humor that made me want to hear it like that, but to this day, I can’t help but sing those words, just for the entertainment value. Sort of like my daughter, Lauren, thinking everyone needs to do a somersault at least once a day. Can you tell we don’t take ourselves too seriously around here? This entry comes with a prayer for you to smile today. You know who you are. You know if you need a somersault or a one-ton tomato. He rejoices over you with singing.