A Little Rain Dance & a Huge Megastorm

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Batten down the hatches! It’s raining cats and dogs in sunny California! Woo-hoo! So you know what that means?

Well, I’m not one to brag, but it looks like my rain dance worked. IMG_0105

What rain dance you ask? Okay, so maybe it wasn’t really a rain dance. More like me tripping the light fantastic in my Zumba class. But isn’t it a nice outcome, just the same?

After all, this is drought country!

The point is, we are getting TONS of rain here in California. So much so, that I’ve dubbed it the Megastorm of the Year. And boy, did we need it! Puts to shame all the snow and ice from that Polar Vortex that’s been hitting the rest of the country. Polar, shmolar. We’ve got it beat, what with our two inches of rain thus far. That’s two inches and counting. And believe you me, for California two inches of rain is a lot!

So, to all you California residents, you’re welcome. It was nothing. But sure, what the heck. You owe me one.

For I always knew something like this would come of my jumping about like a mad woman, doing crazy knee lifts, wild contortions and throwing my arms in the air, all to the beat of cumbia, salsa, reggaeton, hip hop and bally. In fact, the way I dance, it’s a wonder it doesn’t rain more often.

And now it’s pouring up and down the California coast and we’re loving it. The rain is supposed to continue for several days, maybe all week, thanks to me.  Conditions like you’ve never seen it before! At least, not in two years.

Which means, it’s time to stay indoors and hunker down.

Wait. It just stopped raining.

Well, don’t let that fool you. Nor should you be hoodwinked by the sun that keeps trying to peek out from behind the clouds. If you ask me, this is the calm before the storm.

Stormy weather up in Oceanside. Photo courtesy of Max Disposti.

Stormy weather in Oceanside. Photographed by Max Disposti, Executive Director, North County LGBTQ Resource Center.

See? It just started raining again. A light rain, true. Okay, a mist. But that’s a California megastorm for you. Hits you so hard, though in a soft way, you don’t even realize how bad the conditions are. That sun may be doing a good job of shining through the clouds and yes, maybe I need to put on my sunglasses, but any minute torrential rains will return and I’m ready.

In case we lose power, I’ve stocked up on supplies to last me 40 days and 40 nights. I have enough candles and flashlights to last us through any power outage. I’ve purchased little helmets with built-in flashlights for Henry and Oliver so that they can find their way through the storm, if need be.

I’ve even booked passage on Noah’s Ark, should that become necessary, and from the sound of the pitter-patter of light drizzle outside my window as I write, you just never know what calamity awaits us. So, I’m prepared.

Okay, it stopped raining again. But mark my words, this really is the storm of the decade–or the century.  By the time it’s through we’ll be waist high in water to last the rest of the year. Drought be gone!

Well, perhaps not. According to those in the know, it would have to rain every minute of every day from here until May in order for this region to pull itself out of the drought we’re in. That’s everyday, including weekends. Yikes. If you ask me, that’s A LOT of water and I’m not sure our environment could handle the pressure of all that pummeling rain. Eventually I’d assume we’d sink into China or whatever country is directly on the other side of the planet.

Anyway, the megastorm is upon us—that is, as soon as the sun recedes into the dark clouds, which are on the horizon. And California has me to thank.

Me and my rain (Zumba) dance!

28 thoughts on “A Little Rain Dance & a Huge Megastorm”

  1. Monica, it’s so different in California than on the East coast! I once had someone visit and she marveled at the green grass. She said that nothing is green in California because it barely rains. So I hope you enjoy the rains! And keep up the Zumba! I’ve done Zumba before, it’s fun!

    • Thanks, Lisa, but unfortunately, the rains didn’t last long. It’s been dry ever since, with temps in the 80s. Sunny, too. What I wouldn’t give for more rain. Or even a snowfall, but the odds are against us. Sigh.

  2. Sweet puppies lifting their faces to the rain! Glad to see the rain in California, you all need it (so do we). I am not at all happy with the frozen stuff though, truly one day it is 74 and the next 22, this is not my happy spot.

    Loved the picture over the water, truly wonderful capture. Continue that shake, rattle and roll perhaps you will end the terrible dry in your spot of paradise.

    • If truth be told, the megastorm was more in mist mode shall we say, rather than steady rain. That’s how it was. On and off all weekend. But some rain is better than none! My friend, Max, took the photo just north of San Diego in Oceanside. I think it looks spectacular in a menacing sort of way.

  5. Well, I’ll be. You must’ve shaken to the east and west to a point where you lost your balance to get all that rain. I wonder what would happen if you did some double cartwheels and a split.

    • Just the picture of me doing double cartwheels–heck, even half a cartwheel–has me in stitches. Thanks for that, Totsy, but no dice. Not even a split. Though I wish I was that flexible. 😉

  6. I love our Henry and Oliver’s coats. They look quite fashionable. Oh how I love seeing your boys.
    Monica, I’m so glad you did a rain dance or Zumba dance to be more precise. My dance certainly didn’t work. I was waiting for a weekend storm; it began quite well on Friday, while I was on my drive to school, with all our rain gear on. I volunteered in my daughter’s classroom and by the time I came out, the rain was done. It started up again when I went to get coffee and stopped. Pffffft, I say. Where was the 4-5 inches they predicted this weekend? well, on the upside, Tahoe had snow. We get our water supply from that, so I might have to do a snow dance instead. Today, is cold, well, It isn’t the polar express, it is mildly cool, and more rain is expected with a terribly gloomy sky. However, as I see streaks of sunlight peeking through the storm, er, rain clouds, there will be no rain today.
    I would ask the rain gods to kindly refrain from raining on my run tomorrow. I hope they hear me.

    • MM, they predicted a storm of major proportions. I don’t know what we got but it was no mega-anything. It was a storm, that’s about it. Did you hear what Ellen said on the Oscars about our rainfall? Pretty funny. Don’t recall the exact words, but pretty much she asked the world to pray for us. Lol. Aw, thanks for the compliments re the little guys. They’re tickled pink!

  7. Well while you’re doing your Zumba/rain dance, I’m at the gym on my Elliptical machine. I’d be very happy going out for a walk, but I draw the line when the temperature drops below 20 degrees (with that silly ‘feels like 3 degrees’) added to the forecast. Here’s the thing — we can’t complain about weather — it just IS. But we can write delightful blog posts like yours . The photos are wonderful, too.

  10. Monica, I think the weather casters would urge you to keep on shaking! I knew about your drought, of course, and heard about the rain. Now everybody knows just who to thank! By the way, I love Sir Henry and Oscar in their little raincoats — looks like they appreciate them a whole lot more than Dallas does his!!

    • I’m trying, Debbie, to keep shaking my bootie. But at my age, one can only shake so much before falling into a sweaty heap. Rain has dissipated for the moment. Fingers crossed that we get more before start of spring, are these two adorable in their raincoats. They’re very cooperative about putting them on, heaven bless them. After all, they don’t like getting wet one bit, and even insist on wearing them when taking a bath, though if you ask me, it doesn’t so them much good. Sigh.

  11. Thank God you all are getting rain. We’ve had tons here, as well. In fact, I’ve rarely seen so much rain, but tis the season here. LOVE the boys’ raincoats. What cuties. Hope you all stay dry.

    Hugs from Ecuador,
    Kathy

    • Rain is a good thing. Though too much of anything is a bad idea. However, here we never seem to get enough! Like you like my cuties in their rainwear. I think it makes them look posh, don’t you?

  12. Rain is good for a drought! Good job, Monica. So glad your internet is not affected by clouds. Rest assured your post and message made it all the way to TX.

    If the truth be known, D1 and GS1 brought that rain from TX this week! They left early Wednesday morning in a TX driving rainstorm arriving to LA on Thursday and now they’re settling in the SF area where she begins a new opportunity. According to GS1 who I spoke with yesterday, as he and mom were out and about, they had to get home to bring his razor scooter in out of the rain.

  13. Hello Monica.

    Now here we have had too much rain, days of the stuff.

    The river is high and there have been flood warnings all over the place.

    You enjoy doing your rain dance, but you can overdo it if your not careful.

  14. Shake that boot-tay!! We need some more balance in this crazy world. I love your energy and engagement with mixing fun and seriousness seamlessly! Go earth! You are much better than us!

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