So the rain. It's raining. A LOT. This desert where I live is gorgeous and green and mild temperatured in August. Not bad. However, the rain just keeps on coming. Tropical storm Erin brought a wash yesterday and through some of today. Next week it will be Hurricane Dean.
Usually, at this time of year, if we are facing the prospect of getting some rain from a hurricane or tropical storm, we silently nod and act as if we are really upset for those poor folks on the coast who are washing away in the storm, yet on the inside we are leaping for joy at the possibility of actual moisture falling from the sky onto our parched and cracked earth. However, this year we're already a little soggy, and the 8 extra inches of rain we got last night is a bit much. At this point, "less is more" is a good mantra.
I have mentioned here, a time or two, that our house flooded shortly after we moved in. I don't think I have mentioned, however, how much we were blessed and carryed along by our surrounding community in that horrible time.
I have gotten 5 phone calls in the last hour: one was my wonderful city -- a recorded message -- telling me to prepare to evacuate. It wasn't an evacuation order, but a "heads up" that they might give one in a few hours. The other four were some of that wonderful community -- checking on us, seeing if we would need a place to sleep, or help filling sandbags. Okay, actually, one was my next-door neighbor, who I initially came to know while mopping out our homes from the flood. She was just telling me that she didn't want to go through this again. I agreed.
For now, we are dry. For always, God is faithful. I did just move back into my house from the jackhammer/ Elegante' Suites adventure. I'm fairly certain that a flood would cause State Farm to wash their hands of my family. I can't worry, though. I can prepare and what will happen will happen. And, already, I'm thankful for the lessons I've learned the first go-'round. I'll keep you posted!
