Tag: seasons

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Hot One {Writer’s Workshop}

My father-in-law turned down beer yesterday because of the heat. Now that’s hot! Temperatures are soaring here in the Chicago area. We reached 102 degrees yesterday, with more 100 degree temperatures predictions for today and tomorrow.

We kicked the day off as we do every year, sitting on the curb catching candy during the 4th of July Parade. It was already sweltering at 9am. The best float was the big trailer with the pool on it, and the kids riding it had a ball splashing everyone sitting on the parade route. It was hot; so hot that Lily and Emmy decided we would skip the festival following the parade and go home to our air-conditioned house.

Ed’s family came over for lunch. We sat in chairs under our big ol’ willow tree, and just sat.  Here’s an example of our conversations under the willow tree:

Ed: Man, is it hot today.

Nodding of heads.

Emmy: (lying on my lap, which is the last place I want her to be) I’M HOT!

Nodding of heads.

Me: You know, without this breeze, it would be even hotter.

Breeze suddenly disappears.

Teenagers decide to play a game of bags. It’s hot.

Emmy couldn’t stand the heat and had a hissy fit because the older people insisted on staying outside (it was the 4th of July, after all)  until my brother-in-law suggested we turn on the sprinkler. Then, she happily got wet. The kids were not the only ones who used the sprinkler yesterday!

It is so hot that instead of taking my usual plethora of photos on the 4th, I only manage to take one picture:

The thermometer outside our front door

Without being able to come into the house to cool off, we would not have enjoyed the day as much. Despite the heat, it was fun to sit around, eat hot dogs and brats, and drink pink lemonade. (Well, that’s what the kids had, anyway.)

How was your 4th of July?

Mama's Losin' It

 
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It was a cold and rainy day…

Any other day would have been fine. We could have gone to the park. I could have sat in a chair in our backyard while Lily and Emmy played in the sandbox. Or we could have taken a nice, long walk around the neighborhood.

This Spring has been wonderfully warm and sunny. I planted my flower bed before Mother’s Day (unheard of in Northern Illinois) and there was no hint that frost would hurt my little garden.

But naturally, I chose the coldest and rainiest day in Spring.

The word “chose” implies that I planned it, or that I was aware of what was going to happen. That I wanted it it happen. Which would be a wrong assumption.

Emmy and I were in a rush, as usual. I was grabbing for a raincoat and umbrella, trying to get Emmy to put on normal shoes and not flip flops. There had been a steady drizzle from the sky all day long, and it barely reached 60 degrees, if that. We were just going to walk down the block to pick up Lily from school and hurry back. Playing at the playground after school wasn’t even going to be an option, so I left all the lights on.

I never drive to pick up Lily; it just seems silly when we live so close to the school. But it would have saved us if I had.

When we got back to the house, Lily was having trouble with the door. “Twist the handle harder and PUSH!” I said. Our front door sticks somewhat.

“It’s not turning, Mom!” Lily exclaimed.

I froze…had I finally done it?

I checked the doorknob. Yes, I had. I had locked us out.

I suppose it could have been worse. It could have been snowing. Or it could have been thundering and lightning.

As it was, we crossed the street to our neighbors house (we literally ran out of the house without taking anything, even my cell phone) and rang the doorbell. No one was home. We tried the next neighbor, and their daughter, home from college, answered. Yay! I called Ed at work, and he came home to rescue us. It took him about half an hour to get home, and the girls have never been so happy to see him!

At least I’m able to blog about it.

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