Precipitation has dominated the day today. I kept busy in the morning with letters to absent friends, learning my audition lines,and cataloguing my new used parchments. A useful day ,you might say, but I was just longing to see the sun,and to have the opportunity to go out and have adventures. Everything outside looked so wet and I knew I would return home instantly if I even dared to poke my nose beyond our white toadstool door. This does mean I will have to do more on my travels tomorrow,as Friday and the weekend are pretty much spoken for.
My outing with Luvaboo Dreadminch and Piccallilli Peasegood was also cancelled. Luvaboo called on the dot at ten to say she had an agonising sniffle,and "could not bear to leave her bed", and Piccallilli was not far behind telling me her woes,and claiming family crisis. In Piccallilli's case I know this to be true,as her daughter is giving all of them some grief as they prepare for her betrothal. Piccers seemed down,in a way she is never down,so I trowelled on the sympathy and promised to call her before the end of the School Summer break. As for Luvaboo,she will have to make me a pretty special offer if I am to join her for a cream tea any day soon. She loves to wallow,and I am no lumbering hippo.
So here I have been for most of the day,drowning my sorrows with endless cups of peppermint and nettle tea,and wishing for something lovely to capture my day.
A call from Pendragon at half past two was full of affectionate banter,and his wish that my day was going well,and I wasn't letting the weather get me down. I immediately felt guilty,and made up my mind to pull my shabby self together ,and at least get out for a walk in the rain.
I wasn't going to get dressed up,so I just donned my ample red overcape,pulled on my stout walking shoes,grabbed the letters for posting and headed off down the long road to the nearest Dingley Dell Mail Slot. I tied my hood tightly about my ears so that no speck of rain would dribble onto my ears or coiffured hair. I huddled in my overcape,but strode out strongly to meet the afternoon. Only a few elven folk were out struggling with the elements,and they all seemed to be rushing in the other direction- namely. home.
There was a fresh wind starting to blow,and I wished that I had put on another gossamer woolly ,maybe even a scarf and gloves, to keep my elven bones from chilling. The elements were definitely blowing against me as I trudged on in indomitable fashion,determined to catch the postal slot before four,and maybe grab a cuppa somewhere warmer. At the Postal Slot ,Scamp the Postal Imp, was just opening up to collect the stored letters and packets to take to the Collections Office. He smiled as he took my small bundle.and wished me the compliments of the day ,before hoisting the heavy sack on to his shoulder and heading off to have them stamped and distributed. I stood by the postal slot,weighing up my options. The nearest cafe was still some distance away,and the wet was getting wetter. Was it worthwhile slogging on ,just to sit in a warm bistro in my increasingly soaking clothes ? I could feel the wetness seeping through to my cardi,as my overcape was an ancient waterproof and losing its effectiveness. Drips were dripping from my uncovered extremities - my nose ,my fingers, and the tip of my chin. I had little time to make up my mind ,as the heavens opened further,and a deluge threatened to wash me all the way down the road to the Big Water. I turned on my heel and headed back up the hill , moving as fast as my tiny size threes would take me. At least the wind was blowing in the same direction,so I only had to fight my way through one element all the way back. I reached the gate of our lovely toadstool ,and could not wait to turn the key and get inside. I had no time to amble by the peonies,or petunia baskets,no time to chat to the Flower People or the simpering Ariadne, or practical Gerania- no,all I was aware of was my squelching feet in rain drenched shoes and the cold chill on my inner clothes.
I stopped in the hallway and drew breath. I slipped off my shoes,dragged off my overcape,cast my other vestments to the four winds and raced upstairs to smother my tiny frame in my cosy winter dressing gown. It was so good to be home. I would have a hot bath,I decided,and a cup of tea,and put a log or two on the log fire. As I warmed up,I felt no regrets at my rainy outing,in fact I was very pleased with myself for taking the plunge. I was a bit cold,even a bit sniffly ,but inside,elated by the freshness of the day,and the challenge of my journey, I felt renewed. I'll just settle for watching the trees blow and the drips dropping on my garden furniture till Pendragon calls "honey ,'I'm home", and brings his sodden brolly into our hallway at seven.
I'm cooking a mushroom fricasee and rice meal for supper with fresh bread croutons.
Wherever you are today,my fine and worthy companions, I hope you have remembered to carry your galoshes and windscreen wipers for your face furniture. A tot of something hot is surely awaiting you as you return from your daily toil.
Till the morrow, make haste and make sure all your anti flood measures are in place. For more rain is sure to fall.
From the redoubtable Amarantha, Lobelia Drive's own weather girl,the Rainbow Faery.