Precipitation of the Cats and Dogs Variety

I remember in high school--way back at the British School of Brussels--there was this really cool guy, Jonathon Humphrys, who shared the name of a BBC Journalist of "Today programme" fame. Ofcourse then, I was far too busy thinking of studies--NOT!!--and reflecting on why no girl fancied me that I knew little of that radio programme, which you can find as a link to the right of the screen.


John Humphrys and Sarah Montague in BBC Radio Four's "Today" programme studio 

In any event, I remember Jonathon, one day in a French class, started talking about "precipitation",{pronounced "pray-see-pee-ta-see-on") and my eyebrows instinctively burrowed with curiosity.

"Precipitation", I wondered, "what the eff is that?"

It turned out that true to the French who, Harold Nicholson of "Evolution of Diplomatic Method" fame, wrote that they are "intoxicated by the wine of logical expression", it was the francophone translation for (drumroll...)

..."rain".

This morning as I left home for work, there was ABSOLUTELY no sign of rain coming down my blessed way. So there I was later in the afternoon walking hnappily back to the office after an errand, when it starts to spit from the sky.

"Egad!", I thought, "this cannot be".

Not when I want some friggin exercise. Well, Murphy's law and all that. So I was compelled to call a taxi to get me back to the office.

The sight of the impact of the rain on people's micro-managed lives was interesting: I saw a motorbike rider get off his bike and park.

There he stood under some broken aluminium sheets -- that had been used as a roof -- sheltering himself from the massive precipitation of the cats and dogs kind.

He looked rather concerned.

Was he going to get a whack from his significant other for taking the bike instead of the car, or would she scold him for going off when she told him it would rain?

Who knows the number of relationship percolations that had been thrown up -- either askance or asunder -- as a result of something as ostensibly small as the weather!

Thing, though, is that the weather isn't a small thing.

Some clever fellow once remarked "don't mock the weather; three-quarters of us wouldn't have anything to say to each other if it weren't there". [the actual quotation can be found at Cyber Nation's extensive quotation library. The name is Kin Hubbard

I paraphrase ofcourse, but you get the idea don't you?

To think what the tsunami did to the Indonesian island on 26 December, 2004 and to subsequently arrive at the conclusion that weather doesn't matter is a fallacy of epic proportions.

As it's Friday, I don't want to get too philosophical, except to say that I reckon the weather forces us to look at being more moderate in our lives. In the sense that when it rains, we complain that we're all going to get wet, and our bbq's will all be non-starters, etc, etc.

Yet our rain is this same water that will help our planted fruits and vegetables grow. How can they survive on their own? Indeed, how can any nation survive without it?

It's just that we don't want TOO MUCH--that's all.

So maybe next time it rains, let's just think that it's doing some good elsewhere--and for those who own cars and never clean them, it's CLEANING YOUR CAR too:-)

Yes, yes, take a look--doesn't that whiteness look good, now? What about the chrome? And that muddied bumper? All good. All good...

God gave us a rainbow after rain. I cannot do anything as close except leave you with this:



SITES OF THE MOMENT

Just a Girl in Seattle Trying to Dodge The Rain

"...the rain was very beautiful too: it brings hope, and it smells beautiful, and it cleans everything, including the sadness in my heart, I love rain! its one of the romantic things in life. I took two long walks under the rain, and went back totally wet, but happy,..."--from http://secretsinbaghdad.blogspot.com/

"I love the way the rain showers everything squeaky clean and the way everything smells clean and healthy and the way that any flat surface glows and glistens at night from the reflection of the streetlights or the moonlight in the wetness that the rain deposits on streets and cars and sidewalks. "--from: Memento Moron: Remember, Thou Art Stupid

"Therapeutic Rain

I love the sound of rain on a roof, window... on the rooftop of my car when I'm stopped at a light. The sound of rain when I'm snuggled under the covers for an afternoon nap.

It soothes, de-stresses and lulls into a mellow state physically and mentally.

Today is one of those days and I'm at work. I look outside my window and enjoy the dull gray day. It was much needed after so much sunshine. I should be living in Vancouver or the U.K. as I love rain so much!

--from:http://www.casualkiss.com/blogs/sunnshine74/259248/

No honey, you should be living in Belgium! ;-)

"I live in freakin rainy Belgium and there's about 37 days in a year it's actually sunny and warm enough to wear it. Sjeezes ... --from: not a Brussels-related site

have a good May Day...