I miss the shiny

there were two rainies and one shiny today, mama. that's what ezra said to me last week. meaning it rained twice and the sun came out once. it's true, the rain is here. we are currently experiencing our first long stretch of rain here in the great city of portland. and I'm okay. I think. actually, I cried like a baby the first few days and then ward said I was absolutely not allowed to break down this soon into it. the rains have only just begun. so I made a decision: I am meeting it halfway. I'm making a concerted effort. I'm taking the advice so many portlanders have given me in the past and I am getting out in it. the other day, I rode my bike in the rain. which was a mess. my feet kept slipping off the pedals and it was freezing and I couldn't see half the time (what with all that rain in my eyes) but I'll tell you, it felt pretty good. I rode for as long as I could take it, something like a very pathetic seven minutes (if that) but next time I'll go for longer. and I'll remember to wear my fingerless gloves plus maybe a raincoat. but first, I will have to buy a raincoat.

I'm not going to pretend like I don't miss the shiny. the sun comes out every once in a while and I stop everything (and I mean everything) to acknowledge it. I call out the arrival of the sun like a lunatic, like we've not seen it in a hundred years. SUN! SUN! and everyone in the house freezes, unsure of what their next move should be. what should we do? go outside? lay down in it? sing a song about it? and before we can decide, it's gone. just like that.

nothing to do but get on that bike and ride.