Right about this time three years ago I was nearing the end of a 100 mile trek through Scotland along the West Highland Way. In weather strikingly similar to today... gray, wet and cold. But at least I expected it to rain a lot in Scotland in May.

The first two days out of Glascow (the trek begins a few miles outside the city) we had warm, sunny weather. My hiking companions and I even dared to joke that, wouldn't it be something if we returned home from Scotland of all places with a tan.

Well, that was certainly a rather silly thought.

We awoke on the morning of the third day to a light mist. As we walked along the last few miles of Loch Lomond and climbed into the higher hills, the mist turned to a steady drizzle. And by the time we reached the muddy track on the outskirts of the little village of Crianlarich, it was a full-on heavy rain.

Surprisingly, we reveled in the weather. It added to the Scotland experience. After all, it was supposed to rain there.

And it did, every day for the rest of the trek. Thank goodness for cozy inns and pubs each night!

So today I figured, what are the chances that it's nice weather in Scotland while we sit here in Maine marooned in this endless crappy weather pattern.

I'm happy to report that today it's also raining in Glascow. But the forecast for the next few days is drier and warmer with partly sunny skies.

That's a better forecast than we'll have.

It's got to end sometime. It will, won't it???