I really despise small amounts of water. I like the ocean, but I don't like the marshes. I like Niagara Falls, but I don't like the little misty water vapor that is all over the place. I like to drink water, but I don't like it when there is only a small amount in my cup, say from melting ice, because it's not enough to quench my thirst. Lastly, I like washing my hair in the shower each morning, but I really don't like when rain hits my head.
Last Tuesday night, it was raining like crazy. According to the weather almanac, we got almost two and a half inches of rain. When the weather is nasty like that, I do my best to put off the dog's walk. Even with an umbrella, I just don't like walking in the rain, because at some point rain will fall on my head. But last night it couldn't be helped. He was insistent that he had to go outside NOW! Hearing that the "waterfall" (the overflow from the gutter that hits the cement outside my door) had died down, I thought maybe it wouldn't be raining anymore. As we stepped out the door, I realized we would have no such luck.
I looked around for the umbrella, only to remember it was in the car. I considered digging around for the spare one I keep hidden in my closet, but as the dog pulled me out the door I figured that since it was 9:00 p.m. and I was going to bed soon anyways, it wasn't going to matter. So I grumbled to the dog, "Hurry up, let's go," and trudged out the door.
Five steps out the door, I completely changed my tune. Yes, the raindrops hitting my head were annoying me to no end, but just being outside in the rain was wonderful. The temperature had dropped significantly, there was an ever so slight breeze rustling the leaves, and other than the leaves, it was quiet outside. It felt so nice being outside that I decided just to keep walking. I was happy with my decision.
For the first few minutes of the walk, I tried to pick my way around the standing water. It only took a short while to figure out that there was no way this was going to happen. So, rather than turning back, I just started wading. I would have forgotten about the dog, were it not for the fact that he was actively protesting this part of the walk.
As we made it to the end of the complex, I came across a fellow dog walker. I was clearly enjoying my walk at this point, but I pretended to commiserate with him as he complained about being out with his dog. Rounding back towards the dog run, a mom and her child were chasing their dogs around the run. Dogs who clearly thought it was going to be fun to run in circles while their owners tried to catch them with one hand and hold an umbrella in the other.
The tree frogs were out in full force, trilling like mad. Since Cooper's leash has an LED light at the top, I spent a little time searching for said frogs. They weren't shy when I turned the light on, but they must have been hiding pretty well, because I never did find one.
I stopped to chat with a few neighbors, mainly because they shouted out that I could borrow their umbrella if needed. Explaining what I was doing might not have been the best thing to do, because all six kids sitting on the porch with them started clamoring for the chance to play in the rain. I left before I got the evil eye from the parents.
By now I was almost back to the house. I was contemplating whether or not I should take an extra lap, and just as I decided that the extra exercise would be nice, a thick bolt of lightning shot down from the sky and turned night into day. It was time to go in.
I was drenched from head to toe, but it was worth it. My night was ending on a very peaceful note. I would have called it perfect, were it not for the fact that as I was preparing for bed, the dog who did not enjoy getting soaked on the walk retaliated by crawling up on my bed and soaking the comforter, sheets, and mattress. Oh well. You win some, you lose some.
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