Rainy Indulgence

I consider this a perfect beach day.

If I were there today, I'd spend the afternoon sitting on the porch spring watching/listening/smelling the rain and, depending on the company, drinking something ridiculously quaffable.

A nap might follow depending on my mood.

But I'm not at the beach today, so my Plan B made the best of the weather anyway.

I met a friend at Lunch for lunch, arriving just as the rain began. He was waiting for me at the bar.

He said he was getting the Parker Field, essentially a BLT using pecanwood-smoked bacon and avocado on multi-grain bread.

Growing up, my father, a native Richmonder, had told many stories about Parker Field, which had been demolished before I moved to RVA.

In a nod to my Dad, I got the sandwich too, just so I can tell him I did when I see him Sunday for Father's Day.

It was a fine BLAT with plenty of bacon, the ripest of avocados and sweet, ripe tomato slices.

We also savored one of today's specials, bacon and cheddar deviled eggs, a ridiculously decadent take on the picnic standard.

He told me about the First Annual Bartender Brawl (too costly for my pocketbook) and I told him of my support for spirit tastings as the newest bar trend.

We both want to see a tequila tasting.

After we parted company, I headed home to change into shorts and take my daily constitutional in the rain.

First I had to run the gauntlet of graduation traffic which is wreaking havoc with my neighborhood this week.

But once safely on Grace Street, I was rewarded with not one but two compliments on the loveliness of my umbrella,

For the record, I got it for a buck at Diversity Thrift three years ago.

But it's the perfect size to keep me dry on all sides when walking in a softly-falling rain. And it always gets me comments from strangers.

Which I wouldn't get if I were sitting on the porch swing at the beach during the rain.

Point being, I can find pleasure in a day like this no matter where I am. Try me.