Rain and Storms

I'm sitting here in the cottage, snug and warm, protected from the rain outside. High winds are predicted as the cold front passes through, and I do worry a bit about that. Who wouldn't, with all the huge trees all around?

Thinking about the rain and wind caused my musings to go back in time to some other places I've lived and the war of the weather we fought on a regular basis.

Once upon a time I lived in an older mobile home. It served the purpose quite well most of the time. Then one spring day we had a terrible storm. There were tornado warnings out, but as is the case with many people, we had nowhere to go. We had to ride it out.

The storm winds hit the mobile home broadside. As the winds howled, my then husband and I walked the floors, waiting. Suddenly the full fury of the gale hit. The blast of wind and rain sucked open the windows and door on the westernmost side of the trailer and simultaneously blew open the windows and door on the eastern side. Rain came through the open doors and windows as if from a fire hose.

I grabbed one door and pulled it shut with much difficulty. The wind did not want to relinquish its prize. At the same time my ex-husband was struggling to close the door on the other side. It seemed like forever before we had the doors closed. We each held a door closed for the duration of the storm. The windows still stood open from the force of the wind. Rain blew through drenching everything in its path.

We stood for an eternity it seemed, wet and cold, scared the wind, rain or constant lightening would take a further toll. We each held fast to our doors.

Finally the storm passed. The rest of the day was spent repairing broken windows, mopping up rain water, and straightening up the clutter caused by the wind as it passed through the trailer home.

It has been twenty years since that storm blasted the South Carolina Upstate. We were lucky that day. The storm caused much destruction in the surrounding area. I left that place not long after and made my way to Shady Hollow.

It's raining today at Shady Hollow and tonight and tomorrow the winds will blow. Maybe they will blow in another memory. If so, I may tell you another story.