Rolling On Through

So on Monday night, a completely uncharacteristic lightning and thunderstorm pounded SoCal for a little less than twenty-four hours. Big deal, you say? Well, those kinds of storms are just not all that common here on the flatland section of SoCal. Up in the mountains and deserts, yes. Down, here, not so much. We just don't get this kind of weather here in September. September is part of the dangerous fire season, when the ground and plants are parched. September is bone dry, and hot. Instead, we got humidity and somewhat cooler weather, if only for a day or so.

I was sitting at the computer when the first roll of thunder sounded off to the east. Was that really thunder, I wondered to myself. It had been so very long since I had heard thunder that I was sure that my mind was tricking me, turning the rumble of a large truck or motorcycle into the sound of nature.

Another rumble and it was verified as thunder for sure. Then came the lightning, then the rain. I wasn't even angry when a loud clap of thunder exploded seemingly right above our roof and woke me up early the next morning. I just stood at our window-wall and enthralled, watched the show.

Yesterday we decided to lunch at Downtown Disney, as a salve to Mr. Personality after having gotten a shot at his 3 year check-up. When exiting the offices of the doctor, the air was thick, and lightning flashed in the distance. Despite being unprepared and having only a jacket for Mr. Personality and umbrellas for us, we forged on to Disney. It was barely raining as we pulled into the parking lot.

We got to our outside table (under a roof, though) just in time at the Jazz Kitchen, for it started to rain, hard. I love the sound of the rain. It was so peaceful to just sit and do something as simple as watch the rain fall and listen to the claps of thunder. Yet, there was something exciting about it as well, and everyone was in high spirits, even though you would think people would be grousing at the practically unheard-of September thunderstorm. On the way back to the car, we exulted in the warm drops, with Mr. Personality doing the ritual puddle jumping that no young child can possibly resist. I cared not a whit that he got his shoes, socks, and pants sopping wet up to the knee.

Sometimes it just takes something so unexpected as a rain in the dry season, thunder when all you were listening for was the familiar sound of crickets and frogs, and lightning when you thought all was static to pull you gently but firmly out of the doldrums you never realized had you in their grip.