And Jeanne was with me.

We're having storms tonight. And I like it. The rumble of thunder. The flashes of light in the nightime sky. I find all this soothing. I'm indoors. Warm. And comfortable. I'm able to savor just about any kind of weather. Indoors. And outdoors. Maybe not a tornado. Anyway, the forecast is for sporadic storms all night. Suits me. But I've been known to go for walks. Yes, in thunderstorms. I used to take my wife Jeanne (she died five years ago) for wheelchair rides in thunderstorms. And when people heard of it, some were aghast. Too dangerous, they said. But Jeanne, who had Alzheimer's, enjoyed the romps. She was dressed in appropriate rain gear. And she smiled as the rain dripped down the brim of her cap, onto her face. She would lick the raindrops. Maybe it gave her a sensuous feeling. A moment of pleasure. An awakening. An awareness. A lively break from her dementia. In the wintertime, she tasted snow. Because we'd venture out in a blizzard. Jeanne tucked in a thermal sleeping bag. Better that than a bed in the nursing home. Jeanne enjoyed the outdoors. The fresh air. I remember once a snow/rain mix accompanied by thunder. And Jeanne was with me. --Jim Broede