7 of 31 SOL

Bark.  Whine.  Bark.

I slowly begin to realize that Trace is sounding the alarm.  Why, oh why does he have to wake up everyday, even Saturdays, between 6:00 and 6:30 AM?  Maybe if I lay very still he'll go back to sleep.  At about the same time I feel my husband start to stir.  

"I'll go."

"No, I've got them," answered JB.  The bed rocked as he threw off the covers and rose to his feet.

The corners of my mouth curl upward.  Life is full of simple pleasures one of which is sleeping in on Saturdays.  As I snuggle back down into the blankets I begin to sense that something is not right.  With a mind half awake I try to make it focus.  What is it that's out of sync?  Think.  Focus hard.  I push my eyes shut even further.  I scrunch my brows together.  I hear JB letting the dogs out: the banging of their tails on the wall, the closing and opening of the garage door and the pop of the lazy boy chair.

What is it?  Listen.  Now I'm beginning to get mad because today is my day to enjoy sleeping in and I can't because something is out of sync.  Out of irritation I open my eyes.  There splattered across the window are raindrops; hundreds of raindrops.

What's up?  Beyond the raindrops are gray, dreary clouds.  Where did the signs of spring go?  Why? I cry out in my head.  Please come back soon I can't take it much longer.  

Let down by the lack of spring, I roll over, pull the covers up around my chin and out of protest stay in bed on this cold, wet winter day.  When will this winter end?