World Washed Clean

What a rain last night! Big booms of thunder, searing stabs of lightning, torrential downpours!

This morning, everything looks pressure-washed clean in the sunlight, as if the gloom of winter itself has been hosed away. Daffodils are blooming at last, and I'm going to declare that spring has begun, despite what it says on the calendar.

My dear friend Dave is coming for a 5-day visit on Wednesday. I met Dave when I was a freshman in college in 1970. We worked together at the student radio station KUCI, and shared a house with other friends when we all graduated. He and I traveled all around the United States together 1977-1979, camped on Hawaii & Maui for a month in 1981, and he was my "best man" when Bill and I married in '82. He came and stayed with us through my labor with Juli, and lived with us in Vallejo when Alex was born, our unofficial "au pair," who rocked Alex through bouts of colic and picked Juli up at pre-school. There's a bunch of old history between us, but not much recent contact except for brief visits in the last 20 years.

I'm looking forward to his company and plan on taking full advantage of his superior abilities! He's already said that he'll change lightbulbs, drill holes, saw wood and help me wash the dirty dog. Dave to the rescue once again!