Rainy Days and Fridays

It is raining today, something that warrants news coverage here in the Phoenix metro area.  There were on-the-spot reporters in yellow slickers out on the highways and byways today, before it was even light, with updates:  Still raining.  Back to you, Pat.

That's okay.  We're used to the tempest in a teapot when local news shows get ahold of something as juicy as a weather story.  Here, there are so many days when, ho-hum, the weather is lovely, and all the certified meteorologists can say is something like, "don't strain yourself having fun outside in the beautiful weather."  The real weather challenges here, of course, are the hot days, which seem to drag on through the eternity of May to September.  There's really nothing to say then either, except, "Sorry, folks."  But during that time we also have monsoon season, which breaks things up a bit, bringing thunder, lightning and some impressive storms that can drop a lot of precipitation or formulate as dust storms which the newscasters now call "haboobs." Usually with a straight face, though sometimes you catch them wanting to chuckle like twelve-year-olds.  I like that. 

The kids seemed more than a little discombobulated this morning, figuring out jackets and umbrellas and stuff.  Fiona had no interest in wearing a jacket.  "Look, Mom, these are long sleeves!  What else do I need?"  She eventually agreed to put on her jacket,  partly because it's new, so she hasn't worn it before, but mostly because Delia was raving about hers. "It's so soft and it has pockets, secret pockets, on the inside!"  Delia also declared that she is way too old to use one of the Dora:  Esta Lloviendo! (it's raining!) umbrellas we keep on hand for these newsworthy rainy days.  "I'll only use this plain pink one,"she said, seizing it from the closet.  "You mean mine?" I asked, but I let it go and grabbed one of Mike's many appropriate jackets. 

He still has quite the supply of gear for all sorts of weather, so I have jettisoned most of mine.  When we moved back to the desert, I donated all but the one classic pea coat, which will still be in style when the girls go to college.  Perfect for Harvard, I can't help thinking.  And I have a "good" raincoat to wear with dressier clothes, which, as a mom,  I really don't have anymore. I guess I should just throw that coat on over my yoga pants and the t-shirts I steal from Mike and act like I'm doing some kind of high-low fashionista-running-out-for-a-latte-thing.  I think all I would need to really pull that off is a pair of big dark sunglasses...oh, and a much smaller ass. Otherwise, I'm all set for the weather. 



Rain images from this page and this page and this page.