Water calms me.

And we have plenty here. There are 300 lakes with an hour's drive of Hayward. Every time I turn a corner, I come across another lake. I wonder if early settlers began to run out of names. Thus we have Big Round Lake and Little Round Lake next to it. In fact there are two Little Round Lakes and Two Beaver Lakes. And don't confuse either of the Lost Lakes with Lost Land Lake.

It's confusing for a newcomer.

So I have a goal of making sure I'm on the water at least once a week.

Above is a view from one of my favorite spots -- the deck of Powell's on Round Lake. Wonderful people running it and good food with a beautiful view of the water. It's a great place to write a column.

I keep promising me I will take better care of myself. I will stop blaming work for taking too much of my time. I'm an adult and, like a 3-year-old, I'm in charge of myself. That means more live music, more fresh food from the Farmer's Market (it opens Monday) and more time on the water. This might include a few drinky poos. (Thanks, Jim Herman, for that phrase.)

Summer is not the time to relax, though. Our population will triple over the summer months as 53 percent of our housing stock serves as second homes. So we add a magazine every two weeks about what's going on. There are events and festivals every weekend -- as well as a fishing contest of some kind four to five times a month. I've been thinking about holding a McDonald's Filet-O- Fish contest each Friday night. What does the winner get? Another Filet-O-Fish -- extra tartar.

I'll find my spots, though. Which inevitably will include time on the water. And perhaps some fire in the sky.

Peace unto Ukraine. And peace and water unto you my brothers and sisters.