Monday, 6/8

“You owe me restitution”!

That line, from my second favorite Charlie Brown cartoon ever (and bonus points if you know from which cartoon that line comes) has popped into my head over the weekend when, at least here in Marquette, we had lovely “summer” weather (at least if you consider clouds and mist and  temperatures hovering around 50 “summer”) It wasn't just this weekend, either; we've had many days when the forecast sounded promising then turned out to be nothing like what it was supposed to be, and we've had days when the forecast sounded promising yet a lake breeze decided to play tricks on us. Both Saturday & yesterday, like I said, was a perfect example, and it marked the first time that I actually said the above-quoted line about restitution out loud.

And now I can't seem to stop.

Yes, I know that complaining about the weather is about as futile as trying to change the weather. There's nothing you can do about it. You get what you get, and you have to take it, no matter no much you may loathe it. You'd think that after living here most of my adult life I'd realize that. But for some bizarre reason I still think that Mother Nature is making this personal, that she's doing this just to make me whine. Yes, I know that I have absolutely no bearing on the weather, and whatever happens is not because of me. I'm self-aware enough to know that.

I just wish Mother Nature knew that, too.

8-)

I know I shouldn't complain, not when you look around other parts of the planet and see extreme heat or extreme drought or extreme rain (or any of the other non-weather crap 2020 has thrown at us). In that respect, we're lucky. We have enough water to live normal lives, we're not dying because of flooding or extreme temperatures, and our lives, unlike the lives of many people, aren't torn asunder by weather. Just because it was 25 degrees cooler than it should be, or a little foggier than normal, or because we have a breeze coming off the world's largest freshwater lake, a lake that still has water in it, is no reason to complain.

I know that. I realize that. So yes, I should stop complaining about it. Yet still, for some weirdly bizarre reason, I still think Mother Nature owes us restitution.

And no, I don't know why.

I'll shut up about the weather now. After all, I'm sure you're tired of me complaining about it, the same way you're tired of me waxing rhapsodic about lilacs. Besides, today's supposed to be warm. Really, really warm. So I'm just gonna go outside and enjoy it.

And then maybe that line from the Charlie Brown cartoon will finally leave my head!

(jim@wmqt.com)