Saturday, October 4, 2014

A Welcome October Rain



As I slowly opened my eyes this morning I was greeted by the sound of gentle raindrops on the roof outside my bedroom window.  Not only did I have an entire Saturday to myself with no obligations, a chilly rain was falling this first weekend in October.  I rose slowly from bed, turned on the coffee, took the dog for her soggy morning walk, and came back in to enjoy a mug of the hot beverage.  This rain was a soothing one -- no howling winds and loud downpours, just steady, gentle, cold rain.  It felt like a gift, as the past couple of months have been stressful ones.

There have been worrisome medical issues in my family, sad times and serious illnesses for some of my friends, and just last week, the sudden death of a long-time, much-loved friend.  The back-to-school schedules for my grandchildren have been hectic; the war and strife in our world are painful to comprehend, and I have been physically and emotionally exhausted from all of these worries and sorrows.  I very much needed a peaceful day to putter in the house.

I prepared a delicious omelet for breakfast -- with chopped onions, one of the last tomatoes from the garden, freshly picked basil and grated cheddar cheese.  We lingered over our breakfast, and then tackled the seasonal chore of hanging the heavy winter curtains and making certain the quilts and throws are all close at hand.  I have a lovely afghan crocheted by three of my cousins in memory of my sister.  The couch in my sitting room is perfect for a short nap, snuggled cozily in this afghan. 

While searching through one of my trunks I was excited to find a beautiful set of deeply hued flowered sheets that I had misplaced, as well as a small afghan given to me by my great-aunt as a wedding gift.  That is one of the wonderful things about being a "hoarder" of sorts -- old items become new after a few years of being tucked away and forgotten.  I did several loads of laundry, watered the plants, fed the birds, and thoroughly enjoyed doing these chores at a leisurely pace.

The house was quiet, with outside noises muffled by the rain -- the dogs and the cat slumbered away the afternoon, and as I finished with my putterings I realized the day had passed much too quickly.  Tomorrow there is grocery shopping to be done, and the week ahead is a busy one.  I am so thankful for this lovely day of quiet pursuits and the much-needed rain that soaked gently into the earth.  Tonight I am at peace!!

 

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