I, on the other hand, didn't even know what a Ranger was. I had no particular inclination for or agianst Rangers at first. When I saw it sitting in her driveway, I got a little bit excited. When she offered to take me for a ride, I got even more excited. My enthusiasm dimmed a little when L's son started begging to go on a Buggy Ride--I had been hoping to go out in the Ranger. It turns out that in L's family they nicknamed Rangers "Buggys." So when they talk about going on a Buggy Ride--they don't mean a horse drawn carraige (although, that would be a novel experience for me too).
So, Friday was the appointed day for a Buggy Ride. I was pumped because the weather was BEAUTIFUL. Blue skies, fluffy-puffy clouds, spring breeze, just-cool-enough weather. It was going to be awesome. L buckled her 4 year old twins into the back seat and I took the passenger seat. We headed out of town carefree and ready to get our fill of the Great Outdoors. We headed toward a destination an hour and a half away. Long Buggy Rides are a Good Thing in L's book.
And I was fully prepared to make the same mark in my book. That is, until the weather changed. The wind picked up, the clouds went from a hundred fluffy sheep to One Ginormous Monster of Doom. Then the dust started pelting us in the face--exfoliation at its finest, and most painful.
The four year olds didn't have jackets, so they huddled together under a blanket that seemed to fly off of them every 30 seconds. Eventually, I drove the Buggy while L sat in back to keep the blanket on the twins. That was fine until my left hand went numb from the cold, so I moved to the back and L started driving. About this time we saw some deer--a lot of deer. Running, leaping--gracefully maneuvering places I wouldn't find footing on at a slow walk. But, the thrill of seeing the deer didn't keep out the wind chill.
It was a miserable trip. Beautiful, but miserable. Both L and I were grateful that the rain stayed behind us, that the twins didn't really complain and didn't cry at all (they were AMAZING!). For a good portion of the return trip, both of them were totally covered by the blanket. It made it look like I was relaxing in the back seat with a blanket all to myself. When we stopped to give a man in a pickup truck directions, I tried to see if he did a double take when two little hats popped out from under the blanket.
When we hit pavement at the edge of town I hollered a WooHoo! L made some hot cocoa as soon as we stepped in her house, and I drank two cups full.
During that long trip home, I couldn't help thinking as the wind blew all of my warmth away and my hands turned numb and I shivered and shivered (a) how miserable I was; and (b) how in the middle of July, when the sun was scorching me , I'd think back with fondness on the cool breeze of this Buggy Ride. --Lu
The buggy at the beginning. Note the sunny disposition.
L driving the buggy, racing the storm (her hood and jacket are puffed completely out by the wind)
Me and the blanket, relaxin in the back seat.
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