Storming the Home Front

It’s been so incredibly dry here for the last few weeks that we really needed some rain.  In typical New England fashion, Mother Nature tried to make up for that in a very compressed time period – much to the dismay of my favorite black lab – who’s terrified of thunder storms (amongst dozens of other things).

I started my new routine of early morning bike riding and it’s not that bad.  I’ve got a stationary bike set up in the basement and it allows me to read while exercising – never a bad thing.  Running always depended on the elements and finding time in my work day to get out. 

I Miss Doing This

One of the things I’ve missed about the military was the routine of morning physical training. For most of my military career the first thing I did in the morning (with a couple of hundred of my friends) was organized PT, before breakfast.  Part of the lifestyle of we do more before 9am than most people do all day(what were they thinking with that ad campaign).  So I guess this is a semi-silver lining from being banished from running.

The Roses

Yesterday was also about making amends for my boorish behavior of the night before, an early Mother’s Day double dose of roses helped.  I also volunteered to pick up some more dirt at Home Depot on my way home for the insatiable appetite of my wife’s gardens.

This is where old Mother Nature decided to make this even more painful (collusion?).  The dirt was located in an outdoor area so, of course, the deluge with accompanying lightning struck just as I pulled into the parking lot.  I parked my car conveniently close to the outdoor area to minimize exposure and headed for the dirt.

Approaching the Depot

That’s when I noticed Home Depot had wisely (for them) closed of the outside area due to the severe weather.  I hurried inside and waited for a break in the very tropical seeming rain (Panama sent?).  The rain slackened a little and I scurried out to acquire the dirt.  As I was hurriedly loading the cart my wife called to ask about appliance light bulbs.  I tried to be patient as I got steadily wetter (honest I did).  I then told her it probably wasn’t a good idea for me to be standing in a big puddle of an open space, holding a cell phone in the middle of a thunder storm.  She squawked and told me I was an idiot for letting her talk (I had a choice?) and ordered me under cover. 

After paying for the dirt (whatever happened to “dirt cheap” by the way?) I was now confronted with the long distance back to the car which while convenient to the closed outdoor area seemed to be in a different zip code from where I had to set out.  Loading muddy bags of dirt while standing in ankle deep water is a lot of fun but I was already soaked at that point so I just got it done.  It was like being back in the infantry (the part that I do not miss).

My Impending Trek Back to the Car - In the Distance Far Right
note the puddle the SUV is Driving Through

Arriving home Buddy had undergone his usual thunderstorm transformation into a puddle of quivering fear.  The cage was moved across the floor as he tried to burrow deeper into the corners to escape the storm – a true Pendejo.  Upstairs, the roses worked their usual magic and I even semi-volunteered to help my wife make homemade ice cream sandwiches.  She’s not allowed to work on Mother’s Day so she circumventing the prohibition by getting the work in early.  Who am I to argue – especially where the random spoonful of ice cream was not missed when her attention was elsewhere. 

The Ice Cream Sandwich Project
The Panamanian Chicken Looking On

We watched the Red Sox continue to implode.  Their early season success was based on strong pitching which seems to have deserted them recently.  They’re still an entertaining bunch to watch though, so unlike last year’s losers.

 

Speaking of losers, I forgot to unload the dirt from the back of the car last night so this morning’s drive into work was in a word – “fragrant”.   I am so looking forward to this weekend and getting to spend time with both of my kids and their significant others.  After the valleys of this past week that type of peak experience is welcome.

An Early Morning Guilty Pleasure - Bird Watching
This Morning A Large Dove Supervising a Cardinal and Small Yellow Bird