It has been far too long since we have seen water falling
from the sky in these parts. Last winter I think I could count, in a period of
six months, perhaps five days of rain, maybe ten, but almost certainly no more
than that.
Today it’s raining and it’s glorious! I’m so excited by the look and sound of it that I did
something I would normally never do. I went out and I walked in it. Just a short jaunt down the street to the other office and back. Enough to get wet and have to use paper towels on my hair to get rid of the water.
It felt wonderful on the skin and in the
nose because the air is soft and damp, everything smells rich and full. It’s
beautiful.
Normally I don’t walk in the rain because I don’t like being
cold. Even if there’s the promise of warmth at the end, the being cold is
something I don’t like, so I ordinarily avoid it; particularly if it means
sitting around in damp clothes waiting for them to dry. As I did this afternoon.
I will watch rain from an open window, breathing the smells
and feeling the damp. I will snuggle under blankets and close my eyes just to listen
to the tapping on a roof. Rarely do I deliberately go out and just walk, but I
did today and then I was cold but it was so
worth it.
It is a double-blessing because of the fire up in Lake
County. With the rain falling here, I’m sure it’s falling there, too. With any
luck, it’s at least knocking the flames down and, with a bit of good luck, it
will be enough to let the firefighters get a handle on the thing before it
dries out and heats back up tomorrow. Over the weekend, we’re projected to have
our normal ‘Indian Summer’ weather of hot days and cool nights.
Maybe we'll be extremely lucky and this rain front will reach across and have an effect on the Butte fire that's burning in the Sierra Nevada foothills.
One of the ladies with whom I work who was displaced came in
to work today for the first time since the fire started. She still hasn’t been
able to get into her property to check on things. Her landlord, a fire chief in
the area up there, did go and check. As of two days ago, the house was still
standing but the fire circled back. According to the information she has, it
missed again, so she’s been twice lucky. A benefit to living near the bottom of a hollow - a low point in a fold of the hills.
The poor thing though! She looks worn out and fragile - as she well
might. Her hair and clothes smell like smoke. I know, because I hugged her. I'm not normally a hugger - I like people but I only hug those I know well. Today, though, I was so
happy to see her safe and well I couldn't help myself. She’s an emotional wreck and cried when we
hugged, cried again when I walked her back to the office and she was greeted by
everyone there.
This too shall pass, but it is a salutary reminder of how
important friends are. As I said the other day, we have been lucky in that none
of our employees have lost their homes, so far as we yet know. Others have not
been so lucky, and that is terribly sad to know.
Be safe and well. Hug your friends and family and be thankful for what you have.
Best~
Philippa
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