Rainy Days and Mondays

Remember that song? By the Carpenters - the brother and sister singing duo. Karen Carpenter had an amazing voice, deep and silky smooth. I loved them - still do. You'll find several songs by the Carpenters on my Ipod.(If I can find them on YouTube, I'll post the video at the end of this blog.)

The line in that song was "Rainy days and Mondays always get me down" and that's a little true for me today. I had a really busy weekend, and this is school vacation week, so I have an extra one or two teens staying here, which adds to the general hectic atmosphere. Then, for some reason, I seem to have caught the head cold that was going around, so I'm thick-headed and sluggish, to boot. (I know what you're thinking, but I AM NOT normally this thick-headed. And shame on you for mocking me when I'm sick. Hallie, this means you.)

Yesterday (Monday) was the day I woke up realizing that I was sick, and today it is rainy. Very rainy. 'Check the basement to see how bad the flooding is' rainy. Maybe even 'Noah, start gathering the animals' kind of rainy. After a week or more of really nice, sunny spring weather, the rain is really welcome. We need it, or so the forest fire guy keeps saying on tv. Anyway, we are not allowed to complain - I think there's a no whining ordinance that applies to spring rain after a particularly difficult winter. Here's the conversation, which you can hear at every country store in rural Maine - the place where the old guys drive their old pickup trucks 'down to th'stoah' for coffee and gossip:

Old Guy #1: (growling) Nice weather. The brook is coming up over the road down by the farm.
Old Guy #2: (also growling) Yup. Nice weather t'be a duck.
Old Guy #3: Now, now. Could be worse. We could be shoveling snow.
Old Guys #1 and #2: (chuckling and nodding) Ayuh. That we could.

(Ayuh, for those of you who don't speak Mainer, translates as "I agree" or, more casually, as "yessir", or "yessirree.")

I think we're all afraid to complain about rain in April. We've been slammed by late winter storms enough times to learn our lesson. Rain is better than snow, and don't anger the gods by bitching about it.

I might mention that today is Alex's first home lacrosse game - the first time I get to see him play this dangerous sport, since his other games were all away games - and I am not looking forward to standing outside, sick, in the pouring rain. But that might seem like complaining, so never mind.

There is some good news, too, of course. The Boston Bruins are now up three games to none in the first round of the playoffs. The New England Revolution (major-league soccer) is doing well at the beginning of their season. There are probably good things to say about the Red Sox or the Celtics, but you'll have to ask somebody else for that info.

I AM looking forward to my first play rehearsal tonight. It will be interesting to see the process from the beginning, and I can't wait to see what Andy is like as a director. I'm so glad it's a comedy. I need some comedy in my life. Thank goodness there's never a lack of things to laugh about.

Even on Rainy Days and Mondays.