Rain and Glue

March 30, 2019

The rain has swollen the creek behind our house till I can hear it rushing its way around the bend, while there is a steady ping, ping, pinging of the roof runoff hitting the chimney support just outside my window. Tomorrow the precipitation may turn to snow, but if it does, it’ll be short-lived. March is almost gone, and with it, most of the snow and ice except for that hiding in the shadows underneath the overhanging rocks on the far side of the creek. Winter gives up its grip reluctantly while Spring is a rather timid creature.

We used to call them weathermen, but political correctness and equal opportunity requires us today to say meteorologist. Whatever the term, even with satellite imagery and computerized up-to-the-minute information, their prognostications are notably unreliable. All that technology does however, make for regular warnings almost apocalyptic in scope. I suppose in our litigatious society, even meteorologists need to be cautious.

I was hoping to ride the bike to church tomorrow, but unless the predictions are completely wacko, the truck might be the better choice. I’m a bit concerned with the growl I heard yesterday from somewhere beneath the chassis. I had intended to crawl underneath today to check the universal joint, but didn’t quite make it. Whatever tenderized my stomach this afternoon also sapped my energy, which is decidedly displeasing to me. I guess crawling under the truck will have to wait till tomorrow.

I’m home alone like the movie, except there are no goofy bad guys trying to get in, and the house isn’t booby trapped (yet). I watched a few YouTube videos on making hide glue. A couple of places on my old bass have delaminated, and I wanted to glue it back together the way it originally was done. Early this week I’ll be able to cook some up and get the job done. It’s a great old instrument, but the high C buzzes; hopefully a little glue judiciously applied will solve the problem. If only the creaking of my joints were as easily fixed.

So other than making a batch of chili, touching up tomorrow’s sermon, booking a flight to Cuba to visit friends there, and learning a few of the ins and outs of hot hide glue making, it’s been a pretty slow day. Even the fire is slowly dying down to embers, a fitting close to a dying day. Lord willing, tomorrow I will rise early to greet the light and the Lord God who brings it. Busy or slow, that day too will be a gift from God to be treasured and invested for his glory. Rain or snow, the weather will soon catch up to the almanac and spring will warm the ground and fill the air. In the meantime, I give thanks for this slow, rainy day, a warm fire, uneaten chili, a growl truck, and hot hide glue.