Got rain?

Yes, we do. Lots of it. And personally, I wish it would quit for a while.  I've lost count of how many days in a row we have had pouring-down rain with thunder and lightning.

On the bright side, everything up here looks green and lush (translation: soggy) and all of the ponds are filled to the brim. If a flock of ducks were to land in any of the local ponds, their movement would cause a tsunami.

As always, with this type of rain, the downtown Houston communities get flooded. The local news programs have shown Houston residents rowing down their streets with rubber rafts and kayaks. Being that the Houston weather has been on all the television channels around the country, my cousins and friends up north and out west have been either calling or eMailing me to ask if we're underwater out here.  I've assured them that my husband has not yet built an ark and our property is on a hill with all excess rainwater flowing down into our pond.

There was so much damage to Houston neighborhoods during all these rainstorms that I have to (for the zillionth time) wonder why the City Powers That Be don't get together with engineers and fix those drainage problems. Surely, they can do something to eliminate the homes and businesses from being deluged with four feet of water every time the sky opens up.                                                

With these recent storms, the parking garage of The Galleria (huge and exclusive multi-level shopping complex in downtown Houston) got inundated with flood waters. All of those expensive cars belonging to the Galleria shoppers were ruined, and I'm certain the owners were not at all pleased. Maybe if all those luxury car owners seek out their City Hall representatives, something may get done to fix the flooding problems within the Houston city limits.

Today's rainstorm began at three o'clock this morning.... lightning, thunder, pouring-down rain. By today's first light, the sky was getting blue and the air felt crisp and clear. But I'm not letting this blue sky fool me.... we checked the weather site and by one o'clock this afternoon we should have another good soaking rain.  Oh goodie... I can hardly wait.

 But on the bright side.... the sunflowers that popped up in our flowerbed (from seeds dropped by the birds) are now taller than I am and looking very yellow, and quite beautiful.  As always, whatever goes on in downtown Houston does not affect us out here in this country bubble in the hills.