Storm Cell

Right now we are preparing for a tropical storm which used to be Hurricane Earl. High winds, lots of rain and an indoor day. The storm was supposed to hit this morning at about 3am but I woke at 7 to a relatively still, humid, sticky day. Since the storm is on its way I decided to walk the dogs so that they at least have a chance to get out a bit before we batten down the hatches. The past few days the storm has pushed ahead of it the kind of air that meets your face as you open a steam oven. Now that the threat is upon us I welcome the wind and breeze to blow the heat out of the house and life into the atmosphere.

Our walk today was the kind of walk that just sucks the energy right out of your very cells. The air is heavy as though laden with expectation and breathing it in and out feels like actual effort. The dogs explored a bit and then succumbed to walking placidly beside me panting out their steamy breath and dragging their feet along the dusty trail. As the walk progressed the air transformed from being as still as the dead to a kind of Frankenstein revival, twitching and lumbering into life.

We are a bare half hour from returning from the walk and the wind has begun its gusts and the rain has spotted my windows with a few drops of promise. I have taken down the patio set, tied the 11 foot sunflowers to the fence and once the wind picks up enough to blow the hot air out of the house I'll close the windows and settle in for a day of movies and possibly some housework. Raimi is fast asleep on the livingroom floor directly in front of the oscillating fan while Leeloo and Esme will trade dog bones for an hour or two. The storm will come and go and we will tidy up when it leaves, as long as the dogs, cats and I come through the other side unscathed, the rest is all just stuff.