Spring Changes

When I lived in Spain I wrote regularly around this time of the year about how spring had appeared and then disappeared again within the course of a few days or a week. This week I experienced the same thing in Cincinnati.

I knew I was being foolish last weekend, but on the basis of three days of feeling much too warm in my winter clothing in 70s-type weather, and because I had a large box clearly labelled "Spring Clothes" in my closet, I unpacked the box and found several items that I could be using right then. The trouble was, in order to find proper places for the spring clothing in my closet, I had to put away some of the winter clothes. No problem, I thought. I started by piling up the really warm long black socks and tights that had kept me comfortable for the past several weeks. Then I added the ultra warm sweaters and indoor jackets that I have accumulated over the years from Spain, Argentina, and Scandinavia. I hated to pack these away, because they are long-time favorites, but they not only looked but felt far too smothering in the sudden spring warmth. Then I got really foolish and added my array of turtlenecks and the warmer neck scarves to the put-away piles. I did not pack them up into the box that had recently held spring clothes and that was destined for the storage room in the basement. I'm not that dumb. I packed them into the large drawer under my bed, the one that can be rolled out only if I also move the night table away from the bed to give roll-out space.

Well, so far this week I've moved the night table twice to accommodate a sudden dip back to 39 degrees F. Now in my closet hangs an eclectic collection of short-sleeved shirts and even sleeveless sweaters, and the absolute warmest thing I own, a long sweater-jacket that I bought in the airport at Reykjavik, Iceland many years ago. I have my fleece-lined pants and fleece tops back as wear-around-the-house garb, and I'm facing the question each day of what can I put on that doesn't look wintry but still keeps me warm?

For the last several days we have had sun for a large part of each day and I have been too warm in my south-facing windowed office during the afternoon; but I had to step briskly because of the cold when I walked outside yesterday afternoon--which was the point of the exercise break anyway. I revel daily in the satisfaction of living in a location where I can "walk around the block" and actually accomplish some shopping, too. Yesterday I stopped at CVS for some toiletries and a neighborhood liquor store for a bottle of white vermouth that we like as a marinade for our fruit salad at lunchtime. And then as I rounded the last corner I noticed that the Mexican restaurant that we have yet to try advertises itself as not only a restaurant, but a bar, too, so theoretically we could eat out and enjoy a drink and not have to worry about driving home. Something to look forward to as the evenings stay light longer in the weeks to come.

Then this morning the ultimate sign of spring arrived. As we clicked in to the morning news from Denmark via the Internet, we received the welcome greeting that last night Europe had undergone its seasonal time change, which never occurs at exactly the same time as in the Americas. A joy to be officially in "summer time," and a settled feeling for me, knowing that once again we have "the proper" six hours difference between my friends in Denmark and Spain and my life here. The two periods of the year when we are out of sync with only a five-hour difference disorient me beyond all proportion, but six hours seems balanced and normal to me. With the time right, I know that regardless of what the weather is, we have changed seasons.