sunshine

Is it really this easy, life, when it's sunny out? I was thinking about this when I was reading to Els tonight, her cheeks a little glow-y from the sun, the sun that had still barely set. The weather is such an intense thing where I live, an intensity that is still rather new in my life. As I know I've mentioned quite a bit in this here bloggy, where I grew up, there were no seasons. We took sunshine and fair, consistent, fabulous weather for granted. So I suffered through a smog alert or two. For the most part, as a child I could run around outside, swim in the pool and ride my bike up and down the pavement all year round.

Last week was spring break. I imagined my spring break with Eliana to be long, lazy days in the park, some early sessions in the garden, some burgers on the grill. Instead, every day of spring break looked like this:

Thankfully, after a week of fevers and heaters turned way too high, we woke up on Sunday morning we woke up to a day that looked like this:

It's like entering a whole new world overnight. My house suddenly seems enormous because we can hang in the yard. All I want is to barbecue. I could go on a gazillion walks a day. I don't mind recess duty. I'm thinking gin and tonics, white wine, big parties, loud reggae.

Tonight I rode my bike downtown to teach my yoga class. If I had been a movie and there had been a soundtrack as I biked, smiling and giddythrough the park, it would have been something cheesy and upbeat like, "Brown Eyed Girl" or "Abra, abra cadabra (I wanna reach out and grab ya!)."

Even with our busy lives, the days feel long and lazy. Perhaps it's because I'm present in each moment in a new way. Sorta like Eliana. Every moment is a new discovery. Laughing as the girls at school turn cartwheels and walkovers on the lawn at lunch. Listening to the creek that was just frozen, run like mad through the park. Watching the little purple tulips and yellow crocuses make their hasty way out of the earth. Remembering that the grass really is green.

So it was a super treat to come home on my lunch break to see the little ladies playing on Eliana's slide out back. Look at their ridiculous faces! Their goofy hairdos! I mean, it doesn't really get much better than that.

We all have spring fever. And it's certainly the break we've been waiting for.