Friday, July 25, 2008

storms, storms, storms

Okay, so we are back!! And, of course, I have MUCH to blog about. It's a little overwhelming, so I'll avoid it. Also, we haven't loaded all the pictures on the computer, so it has to wait. And while this post has nothing to do with the awesome time we had up in Oregon and Seattle, at least it's a post...This post is about...STORMS! Hurricane Dolly just hit the Rio Grande Valley in Texas, so my mom called Uncle Bob, my grandpa's brother, who lives down there in Rio Hondo, to check on him. His house was flooding and his dogs were up on the table, and it got me thinking about a couple of experiences I had and I feel like blogging, so here we go!

When we lived in the Valley, we got this big, big, big storm once. It wasn't a hurricane or tropical storm, but it was big. I was in sixth grade, so it was 1990 or 91, and it flooded a lot. It didn't get in our house, but the streets were under water, and most of the yards. Our neighbor, Carrie, told us how she saw one of our cats swimming across her backyard, and I distinctly remember Waddles, another of our cats, flattened against our playroom window. Poor kitty, he was caught outside when the storm hit and was smushed there, yowling to get in. It was very funny, actually, but then we let him in. Oh, it was fun alright! All the neighborhood kids out playing in the dirty water...honestly, what could be better? Except for...school was closed for a few days! Yippee! When we went back we had a little writing assignment about the storm. One of the questions we had to answer was, "What was your favorite thing about the flood?" My "special friend" (we couldn't have "boyfriends" till we were 16) lived on our street, and he wrote, "seeing Fiona when I went outside." How sweet! And a little embarrassing, to have it out in the open like that. So that's one storm...

The other was the remnants of Tropical Storm Charlie in 1998. It was my last day of work for the summer, at Six Flags Fiesta Texas in San Antonio. I ran the kiddie rides in the German section. My liederhosen were so cool. Anyway, the wind and rain forced the park to close early, so there I was, trying to drive the 20 miles home and not able to see more than a few feet in front of me! Seriously, I could only see the tail lights of the car in front of me and I ended up following it off the freeway at the wrong exit. It was kinda scary. Eventually I made it home. Even worse: I was supposed to go skydiving that evening and the storm cancelled it. Aaargh! I'd gone the summer before, for my 18th birthday, and needed to go again within a year so I could count them towards my 7 to be certified without starting over, but then I didn't get to go a 2nd time and, alas, have never been again. Thanks a lot, Charlie!

So that's what's on my mind right now...random. But at least I started blogging again! Really, my fingers have been itching for the keyboard, and I'll get some Pac NW pictures up soon.

7 comments:

Rochelle said...

I always love a good storm! I've never experienced any like those you mentioned. good stories! I miss you guys and your little adventurers.

Carolyn said...

It makes me miss the Texas rain since it does NOT know how to pour here. I think I would have been a bit embarrassed about the boy thing too, but at that age I would have been happy to have a guy friend, "special" or not. I am sorry about your skydiving, I totally remember you finally getting to go since you had wanted to go so bad.

Rob and Erin said...

Poor Waddles! Ahhh, young love! Sorry about the sky diving, so sad. I'm so glad you're back!! and I'm glad you had so much fun! And I can't wait to see the pictures!!!

Tara said...

I'm glad you're back, so I can quit being disappointed when I check your blog...I was just telling Marcus about the Waddles incident last night! I thought it was a hurricane, but we'll go with your memory on this one since I was six when it happened. Here's a good storm story: Marcus and I thought it would be a good idea to drive to Houston in the middle of a hurricane...and of course got stranded at a scary convenience store in a kind of shady neighborhood when the water got too high to drive! Then I was all wet and soggy when I met his parents...

JnR said...

I am so glad you are back, I can't wait to read all about your trip.

I love that your 'fingers are itching to write' well, my eyes are scanning/watering/searching to read.

I do miss TX storms, and you in your awesome work outfit (we all know that is the reason you decided to work there).

RondaJo said...

I remember that storm. I loved playing out in all the water in our front yard. It was so much fun. {{SIGH}}I miss those days...

Glad to see your back. Can't wait to read all about the fun you've had. :-)

pauline said...

That storm was part of a hurricane. It was headed towards the valley but like one 1984, it took a left turn into the coast of Mexico and we just got bands of wind and rain. The wind was clocked at 40 miles an hour, probable as fast as you fast pitch!
Love ya, Dad