When you think about it there are probably several things we just take for granted because they’re always there…and then one day they’re not. Like clear skies and sunshine for instance! Here in Australia we have lots of clear skies and sunshine for most of the of the year and especially during the summer, and then the summer 2011/2012 came around and it just rained. Like, day and night for months now!
Don’t get me wrong, I really appreciate rain, but every single day? Week in, week out? Sorry, but I have to admit that as much as I appreciate it, I don’t need it as a constant in my daily life. Anyway this is how it has been going down around here and then out of the blue we got a hot sunny day last week and we all went nuts! People literally ran around with their lawnmowers, others did a sprint to the washing machine and it seemed everywhere I looked there were rows of shoes out on paths and window sills, drying out in the sun. There were at least four pairs sitting in the sun at our place which was a much better place for them that cluttering up the bathroom floor.
Everyone, including me, was almost hysterical about the fact the sun was actually out and it was even hot as well. It’s just that we hadn’t seen it for so long and that’s what I mean about taking things for granted. People everywhere were in awe and even smiling etc at complete strangers and that’s a dead giveaway that they were hyped to the max. I know I was! I did handwashing and got all excited about the fact that it was dry a short time later. It was such a novelty to see dry clothes on the line I even washed some other stuff, just to keep the euphoria going. I’m telling you, I was as high as a kite on sunlight!
Basically I just did everything I could think of to take advantage of the clear weather day on the off-chance that the following one would bring more rain, which of course it did. Several more days of it actually but hey, I had dry shoes and clean dry clothes so I was ready for anything.
And there hasn’t been another sunny day since so I’m glad I ran around like a chook without a head to take advantage of it but it did get me thinking, you know? I do like fine weather and like to get out in it on my days off, but I didn’t realise how much I loved it until that one day last week when for the first time in months we all saw the sun for a whole day and I ran around, happy as they come, doing things I would normally perceive as a chore! Funny, that!
But there you go. What I’m hoping for now is that another sunny one pops up again soon, even a string of them would be nice as it might allow the yard to dry out a bit. It’s almost a swamp right now and very squishy to walk across but at least it’s nice and green and lush, even if there’s inches of water just below the level of the grass that’s growing longer by the second. With several sunny days in a row I might even be able to do a dash around with the mower myself, before it segues from swamp to rampant jungle and our pets get lost out there in the “wilderness”! Hacking my way through it just to find them and get them in for dinner doesn’t hold much appeal and besides, I might find that other things have moved in too! Definitely not going there.
But anyway, I can see stars out there tonight. Moonlight even, and I’m crossing everything from my eyes to my toes that clear skies tonight mean a clear day tomorrow and we all get another dose of sunshine. I can feel the excitement building just at the thought!
Just so long as I can untangle myself in the morning.