Greetings from Beirut

My IM correspondent in Lebanon hailed me again this morning. We chatted a bit about weather - she said it was humid and foggy there - they couldn't leave to go on vacation in the mountains as they normally did, and she was sounding trapped and bored. We informed one another about what we were reading, and I found out that to say "How's it going, dude?" en francais, you ask,"Ca va, mec (or "vieux") ?" The respondee says, "Ouai, ca va." They are ten hours ahead of us, so it was very late for her, but she said it was too early for bed. Ah, to be young, but not there.
Running at Green Lake, the theme was: Mating, or not. Saw two heavy older folks leaning against one another on a bench on the shady shore; a spry elderly fellow in hiking garb legging it briskly and carrying a white birdcage with a peach-faced lovebird in it; a tall lean young guy sneaking up on a dewy-looking young lady in a bikini and grabbing her from behind for a smooch or two. Many older guys, ages forty and up, walking along without shirts on; not conducive to finding a mate! Young guys playing "skins" on the basketball court; they are allowed to doff their shirts.
Ah, blissful warm evening.