By Jackie Wagner

As I awaken from my nocturnal slumber, the dream of the night starts to mingle with the realities of the dawning day. The smell of dampness and the sound of curtains as a slowly more persistent breeze encroach upon my dream. My eyes flutter as my body struggles to grasp at the pleasant fading of fantasy. The senses of my body will not allow for fantasy to stay as long as a detectible reality is of more importance. Importance, my ears have detected in the slow rumble of thunder as it becomes increasingly louder. The pang of droplets can be heard in a beat of urgency as they become increasingly more numerous. The breeze that was gently fluttering through the curtains was now a gale of growing strength.

Suddenly I am no longer in the bliss of my faded dream. My heart is pounding with anticipation of the impending storm. What should have been a bright sunny morning was now a dark menacing start of a promisingly tenuous day. As the reality of a storm sets in, my heart went from fear to a kind of warm anticipation at the thought of a cozy day filled with reading as I sit with the comfort of a warm dog curled up next to me and a hot cup of tea on the table next to my couch.  But first reality insists upon safety.

My urgency increases as I descend the stairs and the storm intensifies. Windows must be lowered and candles on the ready. These routine storm activities are the norm in the Midwest as the Spring storms make there timely way across the region to prepare for the growing season. A quick outside visit for my beloved dog after I convincingly express to him it was now or never. He returns in a flurry of ears pulled back, partly from the gusting wind and partly from his running jaunt to come back to the safe haven of his home. My companion was back with me and now dried and fed, he too was anticipating a safe cuddle next to me as I nestled down in the folds of the random throw blankets on the couch with my book in hand. Now, it is time to allow the rain to lull me into another fantasy that is within the pages of my book.