All day and all night, the rain’s been falling. In buckets, bursts, and great wet billows. In sheets, sprinkles, and misty spritzes. Towels have been bunched up in those leaky spots under the kitchen window and in front of the fireplace. Rain gear has been extricated from closets and rubber boots are waiting by the door. And I, for one, am relieved.
Not what you’d expect from a person cooped up in a leaky house with 2 rambunctious boys, eh? But here’s the thing: the rain takes the pressure off. No get up, get out, get our required daily outdoor activity – hup, two, three, four! Quick, before it gets dark and I have to start dinner! Is your homework done? Is your helmet on? LOOK before crossing the street, I said! No bug bites, no scraped knees, no falls from trees. We are free to lounge around inside. Read. Watch TV. Make a complicated recipe for dinner. We have time and plenty of it.
One day this summer we had a similar short stretch of rainy days. On a break from the pool/park/playground circuit, the boys and I found ourselves at a crepe shop in town. Normally we’re too rushed to stand around waiting for a crepe to be made. It’s a process. Normally I’m too cheap to pay $8 for a gussied-up pancake. But that day, I said, sure, what the heck.
The only patrons in the place, we lounged around in comfortable chairs. Listened to Elvis Costello playing over the stereo and eavesdropped on the college kids making the crepes and complaining about their love lives. Breathed in the sweet, buttery aroma and licked sticky cinnamon sugar off our fingers. Outside, the rain fell. The gutters gushed. And we sat inside and watched. Warm. Cozy. Content.
Let’s hear it for lazy rainy days and peaceful pauses in our hectic weeks. We need ‘em.
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
As busy as we are, a day of stolen time is a sweet luxury.
Agreed!