Just My Opinion - by Mary Kilen
Riding The Weather Roller Coaster
As I write my column on Monday, it has been a cool, gloomy day. I had hoped we would see some decent rain, but that was not in the cards at least for our corner of the state throughout the day. Meanwhile, the weather roller coaster is slated to continue this week. It is supposed to be warm on Tuesday and Wednesday and then temperatures will start to drop again for a few days. Spring in North Dakota is nothing if not interesting.
I hope you all got to enjoy this past weekend. The temperatures, sun and lack of gale force winds were welcome at our house.
It started for me on Friday when I went to the high school for a track meet. It was a beautiful day. The sun was shining and there was little to no wind. It was a great afternoon to be outside for a while.
Dale and I spent parts of Saturday and Sunday getting some much needed yard work done. Having our own dog and Amanda and Zach’s two dogs visiting several times, the yard was full of land mines. Dale had started cleaning the yard earlier in the week in anticipation of the weekend temperatures, but then it cooled off and the snow showers hit on Wednesday.
We mowed the backyard twice, although not intentionally. Dale had decided to run the mower to finish cleaning up, but after he finished he realized he had failed to put the bagger on the mower. That led to a second trip over the yard. I offered to help with that round. We took the covers off the patio furniture in the backyard. I cleaned out some of the flowerbeds to clear away from perennials that are starting to pop up for the season.
Dale has some work scheduled for his car this week, so he “forced himself” to bring the Corvette home on Saturday. After spending the winter in the garage, it desperately needed a bath before he was willing to take it very far.
Buddy was really excited to go for a ride with the top down. Anybody who saw them going down the road likely had a good laugh. That dog was hanging over the side on the driver’s side and I’m pretty sure you could see him grinning.
I went out to the fair building for a while for the Bull Bash, but I knew that Dale was pulling the trike out as well. After all, that was the purpose behind all of the yard work.
I got home and Dale was sitting on it in the front yard getting his Sirius radio up and running again. It didn’t take long for me to hop on the back and go for my first ride of the season. I always look forward to that first ride. The sun on my face and the wind in my hair is the perfect way to let the stress out of my body. I would have loved a longer ride, but it was cooling off. I can’t wait for actual riding season!
There was more yard work on Sunday. Dale was raking the backyard. I ran the mower over the front yard, mostly just to collect some of the leaves that had accumulated over the winter and had become a blanket after the snow melted.
All of that was in anticipation of the predicted rain for Monday. That would have been great for the grass and my perennials that are starting to pop up in the flowerbeds. The weatherman hasn’t ruled out the chance for some rain later tonight and into the morning, but I’ll believe it when I see it. I also see he is predicting the possibility for less than pleasant weather for a few days again.
I guess I’ll just wait and see what Mother Nature decides to throw at us next. After all, it is still April, but it would be nice if it were supposed to be warmer this Saturday for prom in Stanley!