Finally it’s time to pull the
storage box of sandals out from under the bed and rotate the heavy sweaters
from their shelf in the closet, replacing them with shorts.
I’m re-learning how to sleep with the windows open again, always an adjustment around here. Unlike people who open their windows to road traffic, all we have at the end of our three-home street is woods and more woods. However, if I’m not roused late at night by the fevered mating calls of fisher cats or wild turkeys, the early hours are periodically shattered by a woodpecker’s enthusiastic timpani.
I’m re-learning how to sleep with the windows open again, always an adjustment around here. Unlike people who open their windows to road traffic, all we have at the end of our three-home street is woods and more woods. However, if I’m not roused late at night by the fevered mating calls of fisher cats or wild turkeys, the early hours are periodically shattered by a woodpecker’s enthusiastic timpani.
Another
yearly ritual is the Opening of the Outside Shower.
The
other morning I woke up about a half hour after my husband and wandered
downstairs. On my way to orange juice, I passed the door to the basement, and a
Whoosh! of cool morning air caught my ankles. Curious, I went down to
check the outside basement door. It was wide open. I hadn’t heard water running.
Hmmm.
I
found my plen air bather reading the paper.
I
asked, “Have you already had your shower?”
From
behind the sports pages he said, “Nope.”
I
said, “The back door is open.”
Bear
in mind that I am the only one who checks the doors before we go to bed.
I also hadn’t gone near the back door the day before.
Thinking
with admirable speed (and deviousness), he looked at me with wide blue eyes and
said, “Um. . . I was surprised that you’d taken your shower so early.”
Uh-huh.
Bottom
line, we’d slumbered through the night unaware that a bevy of burglars or a
multitude of murderers could have tippy-toed their way up the stairs.
(Someone who will remain nameless spent last night loading his car for a trip today. Betcha can’t guess which of these I found on the side door this morning.)
<--unlocked
locked ->
It always gives you a start doesn't it..when you find you've neglected to lock up. Bet that doesn't happen again for quite a long time.
ReplyDeleteWell, around here the learning curve is still in effect.
ReplyDeleteI will guess that you were distracted and forgot to lock up:(
ReplyDeleteYikes! Scary! Glad you are both okay! :o
ReplyDeleteAh, yes, open windows! We've waited long.
ReplyDeleteDuring the late economic downturn we experienced a rash not only of business burglaries, but home burglaries in our very rural little community. We all were warned to lock every door and window. This amused me greatly--all doors and windows are checked and locked at night, but my window, opening on the deck at waist height, is wide open. I guess I'll start the alarm if I see a burglar. Not that the dog or cat would be much interested.
It has been a long time since we had open windows. It seems I am allergic to everything in our area, well, not everything. Succulents are fine...they are easy on the water bill, so I expect we will be re-planting soon.
ReplyDeleteSometimes life's lessons need reminders. Glad you had no unwelcomes.
ReplyDeleteTsk, tsk. You definitely need to train your hubby how important locks are these days. I hope he doesn't find out the hard way! :-)
ReplyDeleteWell, I will say that when our carpenter friend John (retired cop, looks just like Joe Pesci) was installing a new front door lockset last month he commented that locks only keep out honest people.
DeleteFrom time to time the door is left unlocked here but it's never left swinging in the wind.
ReplyDeleteAre you now going to spend the next week or so getting out of bed several times a night to check that door?
ReplyDeleteNope. This has been going on so long I'm used to it.
DeleteOh, well. It's unsettling to realize you were sleeping unsecured, but at least nothing came of it. Dave and I once came home after a four-day trip to Iceland and found our balcony door wide open! But we lived on the sixth floor, so only Spiderman could have gained access.
ReplyDeleteGosh, that is scary! I have horrors of someone getting in the house while we are sound asleep WITH the doors locked. Glad no one wandered in.
ReplyDeleteOh I would LOVE an outdoor shower. I love the light and air on my skin. I think we'd only be able to use it for about fifteen days a year or something...
ReplyDelete(To prove it: I wrote about having natural light in the shower aaaages ago. http://mwaonline.blogspot.be/2009/07/naturism-in-england.html - just to prove I'm not just saying that.)
I have a friend in the city who has an outdoor shower which is his primary shower. it's not enclosed like yours because his side and back yard was enclosed. then they built a high rise across the street and the apts look down into his yard. he still uses it, figures if they don't want to see him naked in his own yard, then they best not look.
ReplyDeleteSince our backyard looks out on nothing but woods, I could pull weeds in my underwear, but I'd rather not frighten the wildlife.
DeleteI do like the 'tude of this friend of yours, though!
Oh gosh- it always freaks me out to find that one of my doors has been unlocked all night. I guess I should just thank the Lord that nothing got me during the wee hours. They say that locked doors only keep out honest people, so I guess I worry for nothing. But still, I'm so paranoid I lock my car door in my own driveway. (I was robbed at the mall one Christmas, so that is why I do that) Anyway, have a wonderful Mother's Day and I LOVE that outdoor shower!
ReplyDeleteWow, I would love an outdoor shower! The place we stayed in Tobago a few years back had one and it was just so great. I just finished putting away my winter clothes and then this morning we wake up to 40F. Sigh...
ReplyDelete