January 19

Over the last couple of days, snow fell over the Willamette Valley and surrounding areas intermittently and unevenly.  Yesterday, those of us here in Vancouver finally got some.  It was very wet and didn’t stick around longer than about twelve hours or so, but it was beautiful.  However, temperatures have warmed up, and now it is pouring.  It has been pouring all day.  Low-lying areas of streets are closed, people are getting into ridiculous car crashes, and in the rural and coastal areas, whole towns are flooding.  Some school districts are even closed down because of it.

One may think, but doesn’t it rain all the time there?  Well, sort of.  It does rain, but it doesn’t usually pour here for hours or days without stopping.  It showers and then stops and then showers and then stops.  But a couple times a winter, it does this.  Our streets are far better equipped for this kind of rain than most places around the country, but nonetheless, they don’t handle this much rain well.  The storm drains can only handle so much.  I will be leaving to walk to the bus stop in about thirty minutes.  I am trying to mentally prepare myself for wet feet.  I can not afford new shoes that won’t leak.  I may need to bring an extra pair of socks.  I am at least thankful that I am going to my Vancouver job where I have to take one bus instead of the two buses and two MAX trains (and ample waiting time for each) it takes for me to get to Clackamas.

It’s good to be back home.  

I guess.