Whether or not

For those of you who are worried about global warming, I must sincerely apologize.  You see, the frequency of ‘melt-downs’ in our family is so high, that we alone have raised the temperature of the Earth’s near surface air by 1.83 degrees Celsius, JUST in the past six months!  Something of a marvel given that projections over the entire 21^st Century are for an increase of 1-6 degrees Celsius.  We are, as you know, over-achievers; however, this accomplishment leaves us feeling somewhat aghast. 

Now gas production, I must pass on some information about that hot topic. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, greenhouse gas emissions are on the rise, which is in turn causing the increase to the Earth’s temperature.  Further, it is human activity that is creating the offending gas.  I’ll admit that the ‘human activity’ in our house produces enough gas to generate heat for the whole Bole Kebele in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia! If only we could figure out a way to harness that natural energy! You may have wondered about the state of our living as we adapt to recent changes, now you know - it’s a gas!

But there is some good news too. In an attempt to offset the negative impacts our family is having on the environment, we have started a moisture re-use program.  On a daily basis we are producing copious amounts of natural tears, which we are using responsibly to water our plants. Moreover, the resultant increase in humidity helps to maintain our hardwood floors, allowing us to use less water in our humidifier.  We know that water efficiency saves energy and reduces the effects of global warming.

What we didn’t know was that one of the undesirable effects of global warming is extreme weather change. We are experiencing that phenomenon locally – on a daily basis.  Why just the other day Faven woke up cloaked in a dense fog and within minutes had erupted into a blustering storm, when her little brother blew wind in her face.  Then with the swift and calming forces of Mother Nature, there was a settling that would have amazed the most skilled magician.  However, not a breath later when breakfast was served, garnished with greens from God’s gardens, the rains erupted without warning from tear ducts bursting to capacity.  The kitchen was flooded with the emotions of a girl who hungered for a small taste of home.  As the relative humidity rapidly rose, Mother Nature dwelled upon this dilemma and decided to breeze in with a bountiful beatitude.  The shift, as unpredictable as a Calgary weather forecast, vacillated between gusts of verbal vindications and groans of exasperated easement.  Mother Nature silently slipped some familiar fare in front of Faven, while enfolding her in a blanket of fleecy, fluffy cloud- momentarily protecting her from the unpredictable elements of this new system.

Then, with a heavy and heartfelt sigh, the cloud cleared and the room was aglow with sumptuous sunshine.  The air was clear and warm, the tornado warnings now a distant memory.