Wednesday, September 25, 2013

The Heat is Back On

Today's weather report notes a possibility of temperatures of 100+ degrees this week.  Not sure if this will create a second nice day or not.  Stay tuned...

Tuesday, September 24, 2013

The Last First Nice Day (?)

Summer in Texas is something that must be experienced to believe.  When you can see the waves of heat rising from the street, you know that despite what everyone says it is more than a trick of the eyes.  You don't remember the last time it rained.  You look past the water rationing level signs as if they don't exist.  Not because you don't care, but because you don't need to be told any more.

The heat starts in May.  You tell yourself it won't be as bad as last year, but it is, it always is.  You have friends from out of state that complain that its in the 90s and you think that you would actually pay for a day in the 90s.

The heat is worse in June.  You start to sweat inside even though the AC is set at a reasonable temperature.  You look for any excuse to wear shorts.  Winds start to kick up dust and it gets in your clothes, your hair, your mouth.

The heat in July surpasses imagination.  There isn't a need for a weather report on the evening news.  They know its hot, you know its hot.  Why bother.  Eventually the newsroom will make a game of counting how long it has been since the thermometer dropped below 100 degrees.

August is so hot that words can't describe how it feels unless you have experienced.

September shows no sign of letting up.  They put fall decor up in the stores.  Fake leaves and Halloween costumes.  Fall isn't coming.  Winter is a distant dream.

Then you have truly nice day.  A perfect day.  Your friends from out of state would call is hot, but its 90 degrees and for you its cause to celebrate.  Then it rains.  Small children look at the rain like its some sort of magic, some forgotten dream.  They may not ask what it is, but there is a moment when you know they want to.

There are no days quite as magical as the first nice day.  This is the day that restores your faith in the world.  This is the day you want to run and jump and shout for joy.  This is the day when you remember that you can go for a run in the park and not look like you might have gone for a swim.

This year the first nice day was on a Sunday.  It doesn't get any better than this.  There will be other days.  You will fool yourself into thinking that there is another first nice day in late February or early March,  but you know in your heart its not really the first nice day.  Then you wonder, if you leave, if you go somewhere without all the heat, if you go somewhere with rain, will there still be a first nice day?  In your heart you know the answer, and you wonder if those four months were worth it just for this one day.

Will you miss it?  Do you even need to ask?!