Blame It On The Rain

Blame it on the rain, or our heart-tuggingly nostalgic route to where we needed to be this morning, or the rather tough time my girl has had separating several mornings during what has proven to be another very long week. And don’t get me started on the calendar. We’ve been ushered up to that point in summer where we no longer talk about how hot is, but rather how cold it will be too soon. Heck, the way I look at it there’s more than enough blame to go around as to why I feel out of sorts and even blue…there’s culpability for the choosing to explain my restlessness and unease.

I was up with the birds again this morning planning to take a walk just me and Little Bee. The rain dashed any hope I had of starting my day off the best way I know how. I strongly resisted the urge to crawl back in my cocoon, and it was a strong one. Instead I headed to the basement for a little kenpo and for that I was grateful…as soon as I was done jabbing and hooking that is.

Miss Bit woke up dragging and a little warm to the touch. Her cheeks were extra rosy and her nose was plenty runny, yet she was quick to say she felt fine. Not long after her assurances though she admitted she was dog-tired and down in the dumps. I don’t like to see my sweet girl sad. While I was thinking of ways to bring a smile back to her face, I realized that staying home today was just not an option unless absolutely necessary. It’s been building all week: this little summer cold and the need for a break from it all. I gave her some ibuprofen and reminded her that tomorrow she would be swimming the day away at Camp Grandma. That exciting news didn’t stop the flow of tears no matter how hard she tried…it only made her try and hide them from me. She was being a trooper…a real trooper.

I watched her in the rear view mirror. She closed her eyes and wiped a runaway tear from time to time. I almost turned around to take her back home more than once, but I stayed strong, I stood firm. And although we’ve been taking some version of this route to camp most days this summer, all of its markers suddenly struck me today. Maybe it was because I was really paying attention in my quiet car this morning. Today there were no distractions. T. Bone was dropped off early for a field trip and Miss Bit was not one for words. Silence replaced our usual travel talk about Monopoly strategies or illegal aliens or stories of my old stomping grounds.

No those memories were between me, myself and I today. As we passed good ole SHS, I saw myself on the sunny lawn eating lunch many years ago surrounded by friends playing Frisbee and hackey sack. So many years, in fact, that the vast courtyard is mostly shady now. My how those Maples have grown I thought. I did the math. It makes perfect sense. After that simple calculation, I was wiping my own tear from my cheek and ever thankful for my sunglasses because if my girl saw me losing it too this morning, there's no doubt we'd be homeward bound. I'm glad tomorrow is Friday.