Climbing up the spout again

January 16th, 2008

The itsy bitsy spider climbed up the waterspout. Down came the rain and washed the spider out. Out came the sun and dried up all the rain, and The itsy bitsy spider climbed up the spout again.

Last week’s warm spell had me humming that old rhyme, and smiling, because it suddenly dawned on me that a January thaw essentially cuts the winter in half. When it began raining last week, it was like a halftime show at the big game, even if no one had their nipples out like Janet Jackson tried a couple years ago at the Super Bowl.

The rain gave everyone a chance to stretch, shake out any lingering holiday kinks, and reset the thermostat. A good thaw is a lot like starting winter all over again, except the sun is a little warmer, and the end is just a little closer. Spring seems that much more attainable once all the snow disappears, even if it is only for a few days. Rain also tends to wash things off, and gives everything that little extra shine.

In the old days, January was the time of year you could really use a good bath anyway, so don’t be too quick to complain about a winter shower. I happen to love it when the weather changes. It’s been said that if you live one full year in southern Ontario, you will experience every kind of weather there is at least once; which sounds pretty good to me, because there is nothing like a change in scenery to fill the senses and stir the soul.

Anyone who says they wish it was sunny and warm every day should probably just stay inside, preferably in one of those rooms like in the movie Scarface, where the wallpaper looks like a sunset over a tropical paradise. Spend enough time in a room like that, and you’re sure to go a little crazy, kind of like in that movie Scarface. They were all a little nuts in that one, although it may have had more to do with the cocaine than the constant sunshine. Come to think of it, that movie was about Cuba as much as anything, and everyone knows it is sunny and warm every day on Fidel’s happy island. The earth is closer to the sun down there, and it has a way of scorching reality like butter turning black in a frying pan too long in the fire.

In the space of one week, we had snow, fog, rain, wind and sun. It was hot and cold. It was the reality of Ontario. We really do have it made right here. I’ll take the snow, rain, sun and a flooded basement in January any day, because, before you know it, spring will be here and all the itsy bitsy spiders can start climbing the waterspouts again. It probably can’t hurt to be a little more like a spider this winter anyway. They are nothing if not persistent. I’ve tried training the ones in my basement to shovel snow, but they refuse to get the hang of it, and persist in spinning two cobwebs for every one I make the mistake of removing.

Luckily for me, and the web spinners union Local 101, I don’t really mind shoveling snow. My old man used to hate it, and grumbled every time he saw snowflakes start to fall, until I bought him the flamethrower. If melting snow with a flamethrower isn’t illegal in this country, it should be. That’s why last week’s thaw was such a treat. No one wants to shovel snow, when they can simply watch it melt.