April Showers

I am so spoiled. Summer seems to have arrived early with its balmy high 60's and 70's temperatures. Sugar and I have been park walking in the early evening and loving being outside. Today I have great plans for a long stroll in Highland Park, the virtues of which the WXXI radio announcer has been extolling all week. Go see the tulip trees, the rhododendrons, the early lilacs. Everything is in bloom!

But alas! I awake to gray skies, chilling breezes, sprinkling intermittent rain. No sense venturing clear over to Highland. I wake Drew and insist that he go with me to the Canal Park where Sugar and I have been walking. He acquiesces with no enthusiasm. We drive up and park, setting out walking north, the canal on our right. Rain spatters against our face. The air is cold.

I am surprised that there are joggers out despite the weather conditions, slowly huffing their way past us, remarking how cute little Sugar is. A biker whizzes by on our left without the usual warning. We jump aside. How much farther do we have to go? Drew is already wanting to call it quits. But Sugar is still kinked. She needs more time to unwind her housebound legs. She tugs me along faster and faster until I am sort of running.

Drew sighs. He takes the leash and the car keys. "Take your time. I will meet you at the car," His deep voice rumbles over the sighing wind. They take off like lightning. Sugar is fast. I want to let her off the leash and clock her best speed. She is born to run, to hunt, to tear up the world. Drew cannot keep up. After a few minutes, I see him far down the path, bending over to catch his breath while Sugar prances about excitedly, her tongue hanging out.

After a moment, they take off again, running out of sight around a bend in the canal path. I am alone. I have not done much running lately. Now that no one is looking, I awkwardly set off to see what I can manage. I am surprised. I have not lost my ability to hoist my body along in a slow ponderous half run. The wind slows me down, catching at my breath, the rain stinging my face. It begins to come down a bit more seriously, the drops bigger, pelting against my blue baseball cap.

I catch up to my two companions just before they get in the car. We sit in the shelter of the closed doors watching the rain splash against the windshield, grateful that we finished before the serious rain commenced. I glance around at the greening grass and shrubbery punctuated by brilliant splashes of red and orange tulips, of gold and white daffodils, the deep purples and blues of hyacinths, violets, periwinkle.

Spring is amazing this year. With all the rain, we are in full bloom. I just hope the sun will come so we can take our time enjoying it all.