In T.S. Eliot’s The Waste Land, April is referred to as the cruelest month, which, to the poet was a statement filled with deep, emotional complexity. To me, it’s a bit simpler. April enters stage right, dressed in sunshine and pastel blossoms, and begins to fool the audience into thinking it’s Spring. Okay, I will grant you that flirtatious April, throws you a few days of warmth and promise, but that promise is perjury! Most days are cold, with relentless breezes that bring the wind chill back to winter.
If you don’t believe me, ask the parent of any little-leaguer. These poor souls (myself included) nearly succumbed to hypothermia during a recent double-header. Note the hats, hoods, winter coats and blankets.
April is not just cruel, she is a heartless tyrant.
We are temporarily parked near our old stomping grounds. We are taking care of all of the necessary evils like dental visits, yearly physicals, optometry appointments, haircuts, and filing taxes. Taxes! That’s even more proof that April is the cruelest month.
Still, I found time to escape the callousness of early Spring by layering up in winter clothes and taking a long walk with a lifelong friend along the rail trail in New Freedom, PA. Time spent with Melissa is treasured. If we kept up a brisk pace we could battle the crisp air, but the true warmth came from savoring a friendship that has endured through many decades.
The best thing about being planted in one spot for a month is that we have ample time to spend with some pretty remarkable kids. My heart overflows as it embraces every second spent with these rapidly growing “tweens”.
I digress. I am not yet done ranting about the brutality of April. High winds brought a tree branch crashing down through a cover on the roof of the RV. Thanks to a roll of Gorilla Tape, we are staying dry until a replacement cover can be installed. It was a smallish limb, but the noise it made when it crashed onto the roof was terrifying. We got lucky with the roof incident, but remain unlucky with house delays. Good news is that we now have insulation, and the drywall is being installed. Bad news is that the closing has slipped ANOTHER week (or more).
Why does it seem that time flies by when watching my grandkids, but it stands perfectly still when I look towards the completion of the lake house? Yet, another mystery to ponder.
So, the light remains at the end of the tunnel and although it feels that we are not moving forward, we are, at a snail’s pace, but still moving in the right direction.
In the meantime, we have 11 more days of baseball and softball to keep us involved and entertained before we head to Virginia for a brief stint, where we can keep a more watchful eye on progress made in the construction process.
Stay tuned….
Retired and Rambling 
Completely understand the tricks of “time.” Speeding rapidly when you’re with your so-lovable grandchildren and crawling as you wait for the completion of your house. Looking forward to seeing you one of these days.
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