why didn't I stay in California?

I grew up in San Francisco, so I am used to moderately cold rainy days. Especially during the summers. I just assumed growing up that summers were like that everywhere. We would drive to some of the surrounding suburbs to visit pools and beaches and 75 or 80 degrees to me seemed inconceivably hot. In fact, if you are ever planning to visit the bay area, don't go in the summer, go in the fall. Some strange weather phenomenon occurs in the summer making it colder and rainier, while the fall is gorgeous, warm, and sunny.

Moving on.

Then I came to Boston for college and met this lovely man, who would later turn out to be the hubs. The hubs is from a suburb of Boston (Andover, for those familiar with Massachusetts) and his dream was to be in Boston, and he couldn't conceive of living outside of the East Coast. So we made a deal. He would follow wherever my career would lead, so long as it was the East Coast. And he did. We lived in New Haven, CT for law school, New York, NY for my first job, and when an opportunity to move to Boston came about, we took it. It was a no-brainer at the time. With the same salary that was barely affording us a two-bedroom apartment in New York, we could buy a house, own a car, and save money in Boston. Not much money, mind you, and we are pretty much scraping by, but we still were able to buy a house.

Honestly, though, the 4 years I spent in Boston weren't bad weather wise. It barely snowed in the winter and the summers started later, perhaps in early May, but it wasn't that bad. My 3 years in Connecticut seemed far worse! It snowed constantly, it was rainy and dreary all the time, I even got Seasonal Affective Disorder from my many hours spent in the library.

New York was far better. The weather was decent with not much snow and lots of sunshine and hot summers. Too hot for my tastes, but it was definitely doable.

And now we're just outside Boston. This winter, if you'll recall, there was a lot of snow. In fact, January 2005 broke a 113 year snowfall record in one month. Fabuuuuulous, no? Particularly considering it was my first year as a snow-shoveling home owner. You'll recall also, from this post, that the hubs traveled every week. Thus leaving me to shovel alone. More fabulousness, no?

But now its May. I took this week off of work to plant all the plants I ordered from the online nursery. They have arrived, and they are sitting in my garage waiting to be planted. I also bought this lovely dwarf lilac tree and a white azalea. Also sitting by the house waiting to be planted.

Why? Why are they waiting to be planted? Only because May 2005 happens to be the coldest May EVER in Boston. Yes, that's correct, EVER. They announced it last night on the news. This whole week has been days like this one. Monday- 40 degrees and raining. Tuesday- 40 degrees and raining. Wednesday- 40 degrees and huge rainstorm with thunder, lightning, and 50 mph winds. It is enough to drive a girl over the edge. So no planting has happened in the halloweenlover household, and not much house work has been done because we are devoid of energy given the gloomy weather outside.

If you know anything about rain gods, please send some non-raining prayers our way. And if you can spare some sunshine, I'd appreciate it also. I have about 40 plants sitting in the garage in need of some planting. They'd appreciate it too.

And for those waiting to hear about A? She is still in labor. Still going back and forth to the hospital. Still not progressing. Apparently they can't do anything about it until she progresses on her own or she reaches her due date, which isn't until June 6th. You could throw some positive thoughts her way too.

Happy Memorial Day weekend!