MAGIC CARPET

Yesterday was a beautiful day. We have been getting teasers this month when a sunshiney day will appear only to be followed by more blustery weather. Anyway, the temp was near 60 and I so wanted to be outside that I was willing to clean or weed or anything in order to soak up a few rays. I suffer from S.A.D. anyway and at winter's end, I need real sunshine to warm my aching bones and lift my spirits. So, I decided to clean my sorely neglected porches. I was planning to move the glass-topped table and chairs from the upstairs porch down to the one near my driveway, but I soon realized that was much too big a project for me so I decided to postpone that chore and to tackle the carpet instead. I had a piece of indoor-outdoor carpet (8X10', or there- abouts) that had a glider and a setee and a small table on it, which I scooted off to the side. The only water hose that is hooked up now would not reach to the upstairs porch. I rolled up the carpet and threw it over the railing. As it was getting late with me expecting my "date", I decided I'd best wait till today to scrub it down. So I pulled and tugged until I got it spread lengthwise on the chain link fence out back. It really isn't all that heavy until it is wet. So I went merrily on my way and forgot all about it until I had gone to bed when it briefly crossed my mind. The wind was blowing strong, howling gusts. We have had March winds early this years, trouble with trees blowing down and such. I awoke before daylight around six, I guess and I could hear the rain pouring down outside. I remembered how strong the wind was blowing last night and thought, "I'd better look." Our lot is at a "Y" where two roads intersect and the wind comes sweeping down from both directions. I have learned not to leave baskets, patio cushions, etc. out or I will be retrieving them from across the highway. Right now I have four garbage cans that are minus their lids. After many rescues, they are gone forever perhaps in the nearby swollen stream. My garbage service was always leaving them off anyway. Well, I digress, on with my tale, or fable, or whatever it is. I turned on the outside floodlight facing the back fence. No rug! I peered right and left and saw no sign of it. It was still raining so I did not venture out and waited until later in the morning. But as I drank my morning cuppa, a stray thought crossed my mind. What if...........what if my rug had blown out in the road in front of a passing motorist?? Would they think it was a UFO, or maybe Aladdin's magic carpet? I thought wistfully of an inside joke that my late husband and I shared throughout many years. Once I asked him if he knew where my broom was and he smart-alecked back with, "Why, you going for a ride?" Could I let that pass with a wry smile and go on. Oh, no! I got so irate with ruffled feathers that he enjoyed it so much that he used it time and again to annoy me and it never failed to do so. I always told my kids to ignore joking as it only encouraged jokers to tease and poke fun but I couldn't follow my own advice this time. I do miss his offbeat humor and good nature. It helped us through some tough times. I got side-tracked again, didn't I? To conclude, I found my magic carpet in a ditch line at least 30 feet from the fence. Can you imagine wind strong enough to blow a big piece of carpet that far? I finally got it scrubbed and laid out to dry on the steps to the barbecue shed. But I am going to keep an eye out for a genie, now what would I wish for? As a postscript, we are supposedly getting SNOW tomorrow and Sunday. No, No, I reject that forecast. I want more sun. I object, I reject, I will fly to Florida.