Guest house visit…before plumbing

It was a rainy, dark night when your feet got soaked from the toes to your shins walking through the grass. Despite the cool temperature, the constant rain and the dampness under the trees I was warmed from a few Malbecs and some excellent Mt. Gay to wash down the various cheeses and crackers on the tray served on my hosts’ porch. As I ventured to the guesthouse with my raincoat collar pulled up high I realized that I could have made a similar journey 100 years past if I was around and that made me wonder what someone might do 100 years from this day…would they spend time chatting, munching on crackers and drinking Malbec on the porch prior to retiring to the guesthouse? One think was certain, the newly constructed barn would easily outlive all of us and I suspected the guesthouse would as well. [ed: picture of barn construction inserted.]

I pulled up the bed spreads toward my chin and allowed my head to settle into the pillow as I stared up into the dark recesses of the exposed beams with the rain constantly dropping beads on the roof of the guesthouse. The juxtaposition of the century old house combined with the wireless network of cool computer technology made for an interesting point in time to imagine a similar experience 100 years in the future.

I was looking forward to exploring the farm and surrounding banks of the river tomorrow reconciled with the realization that with tomorrow would come more rain, sometimes light, sometimes heavy but always wet.

It made the bed seem a little warmer, a little firmer and very comforting knowing the the roof was willing to withstand the bouncing beads of rain all night so I could drift off to sleep anticipating the natural adventures of a new day.

Jim Routh