Faithfully Waiting for Rain

Oregon has been dry as a bone for months.  And hot as hell to boot.

So...we suddenly are forecast to get up to two inches of rain, plus high wind, in what is being called a winter storm in August.

This is abnormal.  But we're getting used to abnormal here.

In fact, yesterday I was whining when the thermometer did not climb up to 90.  We expect 90 degree days now.

Today I thought, after the first few showers that were predicted for morning,  never came, I'd clean the gutters.  This might help bring the rain, I thought.  Or maybe if I didn't clean the gutters rain would be more likely.  I went back and forth and finally settled on the latter opinion, since I hate cleaning the gutters.

And besides, I'd have to don shoes, to be safe on the roof.  My feet haven't seen shoes for months.  My toes like to be free and going back to shoes was a terrible thought to ponder.

I did at one point haul out the ladder, as if I might clean the gutters.  I did not clean the gutters and eventually, as darkness closed in, put the ladder back in its place.  But I felt good about getting it out there.

My friend came along and said, "Come on, let's go to lunch."   Hmmm, shall I clean the gutters or go to lunch with a friend?"  Now what a tough decision that is.  Ha!

So we went to a restaurant and ate and conversed.  She takes me out now and then, which is wonderful!

I get back home and look with longing at the sky.  She offered to turn the hose on, while I sat in the car and pretended it was raining.

Look, you can see some clouds in the sky.  They're forming up there.

So now the rain is supposed to come in late tonight, with high wind, maybe gusts to 40 mph in the valley, but sustained at 40 mph on the coast with gusts to 70.  Now that's a winter storm for us.   I hope the trees hold.  They're drought damaged and still have their leaves and that's a sure recipe for destruction.

It's certainly bad timing for the Hood to Coast relay run, going on now.  By tomorrow morning, when those poor runners are topping the coast range, on their way to Seaside, they'll be running into extreme winds, if the forecast is close to right.  I saw on the news the tents and fanfare set up on the beach at Seaside for the big party that follows the race's finish and wondered how many people one of those bigger tents might take out, if blown off down the beach by wind gusts.

A winter storm.  In August.

We'll take it!  And I'm waiting.