President's letter - July 2009

So June, our busiest summer month, has ended, and now we move ahead into one of the busiest weeks of the year, the week around Bastille Day. July is the month of revolution and June, well, June was just plain revolting!

This year especially, July is most welcome for people who live in the northeast, because how could the weather be much worse than soggy June? Seriously, where did summer go?  Finally, Wimbledon covered its center court so that there would be no more rain delays or rain days. And would you believe it, the average temperature in London has been a balmy 80 degrees, with clear blue skies, with not a sign of cloud or drop of rain?! In Ireland, the curse continued, and sunny days were reported drying out the green emerald isle and leaving vast percentages of the population wondering where their watering cans were. A drought in Ireland? Surely not!  So where did the rain go? For all of us in New England, we know the answer. It came here!

So now in this very revolutionary month, we cling to the vain hope that there will be sun. The corn stalks in the farm next to me in Western, MA have soared to unprecedented heights because of the abundance of rain. Very soon, the corn will be "unpickable" if it continues its skyward journey. And then what? Cows will starve, and we will become vegetarians again! Okay, so not too bad actually!

 

But to stay optimistic, July hopefully will be the official beginning of our American summer. July is also the first cut in the Haying season, and with the rain, that has been tough. At Atherton Farm in Western Massachusetts, Sue barely had a chance to climb on her tractor. 

 

So on with the hot dogs, hamburgers, beach parties, national parks, balmy days and warm summer evenings, baseball games, and everything we have waited all winter and spring for...sun! It’s holiday and travel time, and for Boston a reminder of how independence was won and carved in stone in this wonderful city. Actually, from my office window I can see the site of the Tea Party! What a catastrophe that was!

Happy travels. I will be out there in London and Paris this month, and I hope to bump into you if you are traveling. Stay safe and enjoy your vacations and breaks, and please let there be no rain for the entire month of July. Please!

See you out there somewhere.

Peter Jones

President and Co-Founder, ACIS and Travel & Company