In a humble attempt to take the respective readership of this column’s minds off our current lousy weather, and the ensuing forecasts that call for utterly miserable weather to follow this winter, I would like to submit the following for your consideration:
In your mind, picture next spring and summer. The flowers are beginning to bloom, the air is filled with the promise of a lovely season, birds are singing, bees are busily going from flower to flower, and the breeze is soft and sweet. You have done your spring planting and now all that awaits are the warm days of summer to stimulate your garden efforts. The time of taking it easy with a barbeque and a few friends enjoying your company is just around the corner. Smiling, you think of all the positive things happening in the next two or three months, and you feel gratified knowing that life is great here in the Pacific Northwest.
The Mariners have started the season with a winning percentage and in fact lead the division by a game and a half. Our championship WNBA team is off to a good start and they look to repeat their wins of last season.
In politics, all has settled down, tax cuts were extended to everyone, health care has been modified so everyone is a winner and has maximum coverage at a minimum cost. Overseas, our boys are coming home from wherever they have been serving. The economy has taken a giant leap forward and the unemployment rate has dropped to under 5 percent, all our home values have gone up. It certainly looks like a summer to remember and treasure. Even the pesky bugs have taken a back seat and are not as bothersome as usual. Here in our beautiful Valley, everyone has finally mastered all the round-abouts (except that jerk going around one backwards).
You relax on your patio with a good book, a glass of wine and the smell of steaks cooking lightly on the grill. Everything is just exactly as it should be.
But wait, what is that distant rumble? Is the sky darkening to the west? Are those dark clouds moving in? The wind increases, the air turns noticeably cooler, you scamper for the door as the first big drops of a major storm spoil your reverie. In a panic, you flip on the tube, only to hear the latest report from Steve Poole, “Well, folks, it looks like El Niño has returned. The long-range forecast is calling for cooler than normal temperatures through the summer. So I hope you have enjoyed the brief spring we have had, because that’s all the good weather you will get this year.”
Or to sum it all up, “Just kidding.”
• Bob Edwards is a North Bend resident.
