Thursday, 9/10

 It just figures, you know?

I've tried very hard not to whine (too much) in here about the fact that I should be in France this week. There's nothing I can do about it, and whatever energy I could expend bemoaning the fact that I'm not there could be better used elsewhere. So I've tried not to think about it, at least as much as one can not think about having a second European trip in a year canceled.

Then I did something really stupid. Yesterday I looked at the weather forecast for places we were supposed to be this week, and this is what I found--

Wednesday—sunny & 80

Thursday—sunny & 82.

Friday—sunny & 88

Saturday—sunny & 81.

This was on top of the mostly sunny skies and highs in the 70s the region experienced the first few days we were supposed to be there. So while I'm sitting here typing this it's gloomy and in the upper 40s (ugh). Where I was supposed to be today will be (and given the time difference, already is) sunny & in the 80s. That's only, what—35 degrees and a lot of sun difference?. That's nothing to whine about, right?

Right???

If you've been reading these forever you know that we usually have a couple of days of poor weather when we visit Europe. Heck; sometimes, we have six straight days of rain (I'm looking at you, Bavaria in 2018) We've never had a trip where it's been sunny & warm every single day we were there. And yet, just because we weren't able to go, this year would've provided the opportunity we've never been able to experience.

Sigh.

I don't know what to say. I mean, I know this is just a freaky coincidence. I know Mother Nature doesn't have it in for us. I know this is just the law of weather averages playing out. But even knowing all that, part of me is just sitting here, staring at my keyboard, shaking my head, and muttering “Are you kidding me?” to myself. Of all the years for it to be nice (and I don't begrudge our French friends anything here; I hope they're enjoying it), it has to be this one?

I've said it before, and I know I'll say it again, but 2020 sucks.

Okay. I've devoted enough energy and enough whining about the subject. I really should put my time to better use, and not dwell on something I can't control. So I'm gonna go get dressed in layers, venture out into the prematurely Autumn chill, and try NOT to think about what could've been.

And I'm definitely not looking at a French weather forecast for the next few days.

(jim@wmqt.com)