The conclusion of that title is, "Can Spring Be Far Behind?" and the answer is certainly. At least spring 2008 is proving itself capricious and elusive, while winter 2008 has seemed endless. Weather in Kentucky is always unpredictable but this seems to be true for the whole country this year.
Before global warming became the watchword of the day, I was convinced that our trips to the moon and the solar system had disrupted the whole universe, but my scientific friends said that was ridiculous and I always defer to people who know more than I do on their subjects. Now I'm convinced that nobody knows anything for sure. In April 1907, we had such erratic weather that it set records, and we hadn't begun to destroy the ozone layer then. So go figure.
My closets have had their spring sorting, Goodwill has received its seasonal donation, and I don't know how to dress on any given morning. I tried layers yesterday and nearly froze in the afternoon, when it's supposed to get warmer. However, my annual allergy to flowering trees was very much in evidence by my coughing and sneezing. According to the newspaper, Lexington is the top city for the country for allergies. Although it's nice to be tops in something, it's not so nice when tops means worst and it seems unfair to have the allergy symptoms when it feels like winter at the same time.
But whoever said that life is fair? And everyone knows our weather can change by the hour. I'm just ready for some warm dry days that stick around for a while.
Not much good happened in our legislative session, which is no surprise to anyone. When we voted for annual sessions, the reward was supposed to be that we wouldn't need special sessions. Once more we've been had, which is our own fault, I suppose. Fool me once? But twice can only mean we are slow learners. Tops in that, too.
But if you look hard enough, you can usually locate something good that the legislature accomplished. This time it was the passage of the bill that will enable Independent Transportation Service to proceed into full operation. ITS is a non-governmental service which provides transportation for people over 60 and sightless people in a less expensive fashion than was possible before. It costs the state nothing, and there was no objection from any business, but it only made it through by the skin of its teeth on the last day. Now it can begin to operate in July, I think. I still drive, but I know many people in my age group who cannot and I have supported this idea since Gale Reece, bless her, brought it to my attention.
Giving support to ITS against the day when I lose my independence is like stocking up against disaster or buying tornado insurance. It may not happen, but what if it does?
My mother always said I was like Pollyanna, finding good somewhere, rounding income figures up and expense figures down and the glass half full. This column is validation for that. The weather is lousy, my hayfever is annoying, the legislature behaves as it always does, BUT something good got done.