Mostly Rain with a chance of Sunbreaks

Ahh May! Or, erm, late May when the temperature begins to be temperate and rain falls warm and friendly instead of cold and mocking. This is the time of year when we begin to get the infamous "sunbreak" forcasted by our weather chicks. If you prefer, you can change the channel to a fatherly weather sage, but chick or sage they still have to hedge on the word "sunny".

We are doing that one big push of "clean! Clean! CLEAN!" before my in-laws arrive for Memorial Day weekend-o-rama. Three small children have an immediate nullifying effect on whatever hosework you do. Even Martha Stewart's shock troops demand a special contract for houses involving more than one small child. It is mostly fingerprints. A small child can get a sticky print on something simply by glancing at it. Parents have science on thier side these days though, Mr. Clean Magic Erasers (by the time Mr. Reynolds extolled it's virtue I had long since praised it's makers and exhorted it's use to my extended family), Oxi-Clean, and the Clorox Bleach Pen now demote the budding muralist down to Threat instead of DefCon 3.

I love my in-laws though. They are kind and seem to have an endless capacity to listen to my stories. Plus I have been good to thier boy, saving him from the toils of wicked women who might have broken his heart and never provided them with grandchildren. I suspect that I will feel the same way about the people my children marry.

Anyway, while overcast it is not raining today. While we are cleaning the children have been sent to play outdoors. The dog is with them keeping a watchful eye out for anything threatening - FedEx, tractors and the viscious 3 lb field bunnies that kamikazi into our yard. An unforseen problem arises. Our second, The Muralist, has outgrown her scooter and wants a chance at the tricycle. The eldest, The Verbalist, has no intention of giving up turns on his trike because it's horn has only recently been restored. He pedals around the drive honking it triumphally. Honk, honk! it sounds, infuriating the Muralist. Crisis seems imminent but God is kind, a rain drop splashes down.