Monday, September 08, 2014

Rain ~ My column from Sunday's paper

We've had long stretches without rain here. The days are hotter than a dragon’s tongue, and the nights aren't much cooler. These past few weeks, clouds to the west and east had drenched swaths of Alabama, but it was almost as if Empire was under an umbrella.

This past weekend when I checked the radar, it looked as if the day would be no different, but Jilda woke up with aching shoulders and wrists. As I wiped sleep from my eyes with the back of my fists, she rolled over and said, “It’s gonna rain today.” But as added insurance, I washed my truck.

We didn't have a lot planned for the day, but Jilda noticed that my shoes were beginning to look a little gnarly. The instant she held the right slipper up and peered at me through the hole, I knew we'd be shopping before the day was out. I'd actually rather have an ingrown toenail than shop for shoes, but I knew resistance would be futile.

Jilda is a professional shopper and had I objected, she would have reeled off reasons why the health of my feet, my gait, and indeed my happiness hinged on whether or not I made the right decision.

So, we loaded up and headed to town to shop for footwear.

Jilda’s sister Pat went with us. While the clerk fitted me for shoes, Jilda and Pat looked at women’s dresses, makeup, shoes, handbags, and window treatments. Thank God, it took long enough to get the right pair of shoes, that I didn't have to shop for curtains and pillow shams.

After buying a new pair of spiffy new shoes, my mood brightened, and I treated the girls to lunch at the new Cracker Barrel that opened out on the freeway.

We took a seat by the window and as we waited for food, we could see rain in the distance. It looked like fog, but you rarely see fog at noon in late August. The temps were in the 90s but off to the east, you could see cloud to cloud lightning.

It rained for a moment at the restaurant, but only long enough to turn the parking lot into a sauna. I wondered if the rain had passed us again.

When we got home, it was overcast and I could hear thunder off to the west. Soon I heard the rain coming. It started out like static on an AM radio with the dial slightly off station. When it came closer, we opened the door to the screen porch. The wind drove wisps of mist through the screen and onto my face. It was cool and refreshing.

A gentle rain after a drought makes the world seem like a kinder place.

At first, the rain puddled on the hard clay of the yard, but soon the drops began to soak into the roots of the water oak, and you could almost hear it sigh.

We had more showers that night. The temperature dropped enough to make it comfortable sleeping with the windows up.

We fell asleep to the sound of rain on a tin roof, with thunder in the distance. There is no better sleep aid.
Weeds at the edge of my garden

7 comments:

  1. Rick... I love falling asleep to rain... it lulls me off... I'm glad the rain finally came... ;-)

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  2. Nice photo! I never knew weeds could look so attractive. Awesome that your wife likes shopping--it's good to have at least one person in the family who does!

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  3. A good thing Jilda love shopping because you would soon be walking bare feet. For some reason lots of people are lulled to sleep during a rain storm, not me I need silence to fall asleep and never sleep good during heavy rain. Like Jilda, I can pretty well predict when it's going to rain by how my body feels too but I don't care to shop either...
    JB

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  4. I miss hearing the rain. When it is heavy, at times I can hear it on the Motor home roof vents.
    Reading this reminds me that I hate to shop, unless it is for lumber! (smile)

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  5. Rain is good I like rain during the night but not when I have to go out shopping

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  6. Your photo make weeds look good!
    In Switzerland, we slept with the ancient windows open, listened to the thunder and rain. It was marvelous.
    I can tell your rain was one of those experiences as well.

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  7. Rain can be soothing in so many ways...sounds like it was for you down in Alabama! I've never heard rain on a tin roof, but can only imagine it...it must be nice!

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