Lesson #27: Rain Complements Certain Activities Only

Those of you who live in the great Pacific Northwest know we almost set a record for consecutive days without rainfall earlier this month. We came close but we didn't actually break the record which was just as well since it provided a convenient opportunity for the professor's next lesson. His subject this time? Rain.

When you're running about chasing a tennis ball around a field or engaging in a similar activity rain is quite nice. It keeps one's skin or fur cool and the warmth that one generates from strenuous exercise is offset by the wet. But if you're just hanging around then rain makes it distinctly unpleasant to go outside.

When Oscar McLovin knows it's time for his morning walk he doesn't care what the weather is like outside. I'm convinced that even monsoon-like conditions would fail to temper his enthusiasm. But if he has the option to go outside to spend some time in our yard then he needs the heavens to cooperate: if it's raining cats and dogs he will politely decline the option of going outside unless he needs to relieve himself.

Now I'm aware that this lesson can partly be interpreted as the inverse of Lesson #24 but I feel that the degree to which his behavior changes warrants a separate entry. I suppose that even adverse weather conditions are sometimes right as rain.