Thursday, May 04, 2006

Mocking Mother Nature

We had our first summer afternoon thunderstorm yesterday. It was wonderful.

I love thunderstorms, especially at night when I'm curled up in bed under warm covers and the lightning flashes inside followed soon by that loud boom of thunder, and I remember how safe I am and how powerful Mother Nature is. In the summertime, when the humidity is right and the temperature is hotter than hell, thunderstorms form nearly every afternoon, about the time I'm planning on walking out the door to head home. Karma, or Mother Nature's idea of a joke? Take your pick.

Yesterday on my drive home from the doctor's office (Claritin, take me away), I noticed the big fluffy clouds. Fifteen minutes later, I noticed the big dark fluffy clouds. I called Mr. Honey to talk about my doctor appointment, and told him he should come home right away or risk biking home in the rain. (Mr. Honey is both in great shape and environmentally conscious.) And then I heard distant thunder. Mr. Honey said he'd come right home, but then got interrupted by a phone call he had to take at work. So, I assumed he'd stay at work until the storm passed.

Ten minutes later, I peeked out the window to find a straggly gray mist gently dropping a few raindrops on our driveway. Since I planted my flowers three weeks ago (and would have to water them later if we didn't get more rain), I was not impressed. "Aw, come on," I said to Mother Nature. "You can do better than that. This is weak. You really think this qualifies as an afternoon thunderstorm?"

She answered me with a weak growl of thunder. I snickered at her incompetence and went back inside to read.

Fast forward five minutes, and it's obvious I've offended her. Rain was crashing down in buckets. The wind was whipping the highest tree branches about like twigs. And I loved it. Loved the smell, the sudden drop in temperature, the gentle mist rolling off the pouring rain. So I took my book outside and plopped down on the hammock in our carport.

I was feeling pretty cocky that I'd tricked Mother Nature into giving me exactly the storm I wanted, with torrential rains and true booming thunder while I stayed nice and dry under the carport. So, she sent a massive gust of wind to spray a heavy sheet of mist over me and my book. I got the hint - don't mock Mother Nature and expect to get away with it. I climbed out of the hammock and stood in the little alcove by our door, shielded from the rain and wind, and giggled as the storm rolled on around me.

And then this crazy figure on a bicycle flew up my driveway. Yup. Mr. Honey had taken my advice and left work right before the thunderstorm broke loose, right before I'd mocked Mother Nature into raining harder. Poor guy was soaked. But he was in good spirits. He kinda rolled his eyes when I confessed to taunting the rain on, but it's been a while since he's gotten caught in a rainstorm. Given the lack of rain we've had this spring, I really don't think he minded too much. But he might chime in here with a different opinion. ;)

On a side note, Mr. Honey ate his popcorn with chopsticks tonight. He claims it makes him eat slower. I thought it was cute as all hell. :)

Posted by Honey :: 6:54 AM :: 5 Comments:

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