Stormy Friday

Daniel seemed fine again today so he went back to school for the first time since Monday. His teacher greeted him with a big hug. His classmates were happy to see him, too.

"Finally!" said his bestfriend, Danny, when he caught sight of Daniel.

Even though Daniel was absent three days, he didn't miss much work. Each day when I called to tell Miss Dawn he'd be absent, she'd give me his classwork and homework for the day. We managed to keep up with his assignments over the course of the week.

Daniel's school was scheduled for its annual field trip to the Philadelphia Zoo today, but the trip had to be postponed until next month because of rain. Tab and I had considered driving down there in our own car with the twins and joining Daniel's class for the day as we did when his class went to the zoo last year. Then Tab remembered how the zoo was overcrowded with schoolchildren last year and how he had disliked being stuck in a group of parents and children who moved at a snail's pace. We had decided then that we prefer to go to the zoo by ourselves on weekends when we don't have to compete with the school trips. Still, I may tag along with the class when they finally go next month, even if Tab opts out.

The weather had been unpleasantly humid earlier this week, but last night a cold front arrived, heralded by violent thunderstorms. We had another thunderstorm this morning, which upset the twins a little.

"I don't like the thunder and lightning, Mama," Stephen whimpered.

"The thunder can't hurt you, honey. And the lightning can't hurt you here inside."

I led the boys to the front windows. "Look out here, guys. The rain is falling so hard that our street looks like a river!"

"It's a river!" they chorused, watching the rain hitting the wet street.

I love wild weather, myself: the pelting rains, the howling winds. I revel in storms, the more tumultuous the better. My favorite Sesame Street character is Cookie Monster and my favorite cartoon character is Taz, the Tasmanian Devil; I guess I'm attracted to displays of passion, power, and untamed id. It's probably because I'm a pretty tightly wrapped person myself.

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