Hi, and thank you for choosing

Antonio’s today!

Well, once again I find myself in the throes of the dog days of summer.

     The phrase "dog days of summer" is an idiom that refers to the hottest days of the year in the Northern Hemisphere, usually between July and early September. The phrase comes from the ancient Greeks and Romans, who used the stars to track the seasons. The star Sirius, also known as the "dog star" because it forms the nose of a dog-shaped constellation, would rise with or near the sun around the end of July, marking the beginning of the hottest days. The Romans called this period “dies caniculares”, which translates to "days of the dog star" and eventually became "dog days" in English. Okay, this information borders on useless, but I found it interesting and if just one other person does: I’ll consider it a win!

As for the family; we’ve spent a lot of time with our extended family, which is from and remains in Newport, RI. Interestingly, we primarily visit them throughout the summer and let them hibernate when it’s cold. Also, on a dare from my daughter Katherine, I shaved my beard; but left a mustache as that was not specifically mentioned in the dare. My wife says I look like a different man, so I’ve got that going for me. For those that remember my dad, he never had a beard, but had a mustache for years. This being said, I’ll only have a mustache for a few more weeks. Shaving is even more of a pain in the neck when you haven’t done it in decades. I have new respect for those that do it daily!

Steven & Co.