The wind and the rain are back yet again. The rain started last night. I could hear it on the windows in my bedroom. The wind came later. All the branches are swaying. It is warm right now. It will rain all day. I do have to go out as I have a uke concert this afternoon.

When I was a kid, when it rained, my classroom was always a bit dark. The old lights hung down from the ceiling. Except for the rain hitting the windows, the room was often quiet. I could hear pages of our books being turned. I could the creaks of the old desk chairs. I always felt as if the room was wrapped around us, holding us.

I used to ride my bike to the library. I’d take books back then get more books. The children’s section had wooden tables and chairs. Some of the chairs were captain’s chairs with tall backs and arms. I always thought the room smelled like books. The mystery section was on the wall behind the librarian’s desk. The bookcases there were tall. The section with all the tall tales and fables was on the other side of the room. The book cases were short so I had to stoop or even sit on the rug to read the titles. I loved the stores about Paul Bunyan, Pecos Bill, Johnny Appleseed and Annie Oakley. They piqued my imagination. I also used to look at travel books, pages and pages of pictures which showed me the world. I always knew I’d visit some of those places. I always thought the library was almost magical.

The rain is hardly falling. The wind is the loudest. It has the proverbial freight train sound. Inside, my house is quiet. The dogs are asleep beside each other on the couch. Every now and then Henry sighs. My house is dark except for the light in this room, the den, and the night light in the bathroom, the one with a sensor. I like the darkness the rain brings.

Other than changing the bed, the chores got done yesterday. While I was cleaning upstairs, the dogs were on the bed and refused to move so I left the clean sheets on the chair. I’ll try again today.

Today is cloudy and it will rain again. We have been inundated with rain, but the last two days have been so lovely I guess I shouldn’t complain. Besides, April showers bring May flowers.

When I was in the eighth grade, we took advantage of Sister Hildegard. She was quite old, and we were too much for her to handle. I remember one kid who dumped a little of his milk into the basket every few days. He’d show Sister Hildegard, and she’d let him leave to clean the basket. He was always gone a few hours. She never noticed. I had a friend who found learning difficult. During a test she’d call me out loud from the other side of the room and ask for help. I’d write some of the answers on a small piece of paper and then ask Sister Hildegard if I could get up to throw the trash away. On the way to the basket I’d drop the answers on my friend’s desk. I know it was cheating, but I always thought it didn’t count if I was helping my friend. I saw my friend a few years back at a reunion. I hadn’t seen her for years. She gave me a hug and told people I had helped her graduate from the eighth grade.

Sister Hildegard used to go crazy sometimes. She’d scream at us and say that when we graduated she’d write on the board in huge letters, “Thank God they are gone.” She always mentioned us and the devil in the same sentence as kindred spirits. Sister Hildegard always liked me. I was never mean.

Nala stole an egg yesterday. I had put it on the counter. I was right there beside the counter, but I didn’t see her. When I went to grab the eggs to cook them, I noticed one was missing. Nala went out the dog door, her tell when she has stolen food. I looked and watched her go into the yard. I could see the shape of the egg in her mouth. I wonder if she ate the shell.

Today I will clean. I will water plants and change my bed. I will put my clean clothes away. I will not get dressed, my concession to slothness.