Tiki Torches and Fireflies

This spring has been absolutely crazy in Oklahoma. It snowed in April, and we’ve had two F5 tornados like the world has never seen before.

Marilyn and I live on an acre of land in the southeast corner of Edmond, Oklahoma. It’s almost rural. From my front porch, I’ve seen deer, coyotes, hawks—well you get the picture. Our house was built in 1975 and our large swimming pool is anything but modern. My hot tub is a fiberglass antique, covered by a gazebo my step-son Shane built. We get our water from a well. The water is wonderful, except it is loaded with calcium. My step-daughter Shannon spent two days this week cleaning the calcium deposits off my hot tub. Tonight, my three dogs and I tried it out.

As I mentioned, the weather has been crazy this spring. I usually take my first dip in the pool in April, sometimes March. Tonight, already late in June, I took my first plunge of the year. The dogs, my two pugs and English bulldog, loved it. They can’t swim but they loved licking pool water off my head, neck, and back. Following Shannon’s labors, the hot tub felt wonderful.

After a stint in the hot water, I plunged back into the pool. Sitting on the steps in shallow water, I soaked in the stars, flame from Tiki torches and fireflies lighting up the night. I couldn’t have been happier when I finally came inside and pulled off my wet swimming trunks decorated with surfboards, sailboats, and paeans to places like Florida and Waikiki Beach.

I’ve been to Florida and Waikiki. Tonight, I wouldn’t have traded either for my backyard pool, hot tub, and three faithful dogs. It made me think. It isn’t where you’ve been in life, it’s where you are right now that counts.

Eric'sWeb

Change in the Weather

It’s still officially spring, not yet the end of May but it feels like summer here in central Oklahoma. Temperatures reached into the nineties today, humidity through the roof and my tee shirt soaked by the time I returned from my walk.

This change in the weather didn’t happen gradually. Just last week I was sticking my toe into the pool, wondering if would be warm enough to swim in by Memorial Day. After a long winter, complete with several snowstorms and a blizzard or two, my dogs seem ready for warm weather.

I took my computer outside by the pool. As I type this post, I am sitting outside with my two black pugs, Princess and Scooter. Scooter was intent at first on sitting on my lap. Now he and his big sister are lying by the pool, watching ripples in the water caused by a nice breeze.

It’s almost dark now, only citronella flames from my “Survivor” Tiki torches, a hazy moon partially cloaked by pregnant clouds and my computer screen providing illumination. I wore my flip flops tonight so I’ll soon test the pool water again, this time with more than my toe. It doesn’t really matter because I already know it’s going to be warm enough to swim in by Memorial Day.

Eric'sWeb