It's currently 29˚F, sunny, with a heavy frost on the lush green grass. A couple of days ago the temperature high hit 81˚F; downright sweltering. Fifty-plus degree variations are tough to handle, physically and psychologically. At least for me—and from their looks as I drove past a couple of wooded hillsides a few minutes ago, tough on many of the tender spring ephemerals I saw along the roadside which appeared rather droopy.
Ahhhh, the fickleness of April…really, of spring. Warm, cool, cold, hot, wet, dry, windy—blazing sun one moment, pouring rain the next. Sometimes there's even a bit of sleet or snow in the weather mix.
Earlier, I had to scrape ice off the windshield before chauffeuring Myladylove to the airport. She's off to New Orleans for a few days to attend a business seminar. Yesterday, she took part in a charity "walk" covering several concrete miles downtown. It wasn't quite so cold—45˚F—and she managed to dress right, neither sweating nor chilling along the way. But she's stiff and sore this morning. Plus she came away with a huge blister on the bottom of one foot.
When I kissed her goodbye and dropped her off in front of the terminal—about all you can do nowadays, given security measures—she smiled weakly, grimaced as she turned to wave, and went gimping off rather pitifully, head down, rolling luggage trailing behind.
A number of her fellow managers participated in yesterday's fundraising event and are also making the New Orleans trip. Their schedule says they'll walk to a restaurant near the hotel for dinner tonight. And their itinerary lists a walking tour of the French Quarter tomorrow, along with several additional pedestrian excursions during their four-day visit.
I bet they'll not be the perkiest group on the sidewalks of the Big Easy.
2 comments:
On Sunday morning, I represented our organization at a small community footrace. (I haven't been able to run myself since 2003 when my right knee gave out on me.) I set up a table with a few blooming native plants from our nursery and with a taxidermied fox; the accoutrements attracted a reasonable number of interested folks, so it was worth the effort. However, it was FREEZING! It was 34 degrees when I awoke at 5:45, and despite cloudless skies, the temperature and wind conspired to chill me to the bone despite my wearing two shirts, a winter coat, gloves and a hat. Pity the poor runners, many of whom waited around in shorts and long-sleeved tee-shirts. It was great to get back into the greenhouse-like car when the event was over.
Scott…
Saturday and Sunday were both pretty-but-cold here…seriously, unseasonably COLD! Not a day for a fund-raising walk, or much of a walk of any sort unless you dressed as though you were going ice-fishing. Myladylove came in Saturday afternoon and promptly built a fire in the woodstove, wrapped herself in a heavy blanket, ordered hot food and something hot to drink, and hunkered for the rest of the day in survival-mode in the recliner. Even Moon-the-Dog seemed reluctant to spend much time outside.
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