When I was little, I loved watching the Winnie the Pooh episode where a huge rainstorm descends upon the Hundred Acre Wood. In this video, the entire forest becomes a giant river, which causes the forest's inhabitants to scramble to safety. Pooh floats around in a honey pot with his head stuck in the pot's lip. Little Piglet is whisked away by the strong rapids and his friends rally to save him.
The past few days of my life have reminded me of this Winnie the Pooh episode. I haven't seen any yellow bears floating about, but I have seen lots of rain and lots of puddles. Driving is a nightmare because the rain pummels my car like a waterfall. Even walking can be dangerous. On my way to work on Monday, the traffic light at Independence Avenue was out. Independence is a busy street that is always loaded with morning commuters. The cars weren't slowing down to allow me to cross, so I had to step onto the street to take matters into my own hands. You just have to look drivers straight in the eye and then run like a maniac. It wasn't so bad. All of my limbs are still intact.
The museum where I work has taken a hard hit (but not as hard as the Natural History or American History museums. Or the IRS building for that matter, which is supposed to be closed for a month). Non-essential staff were let out early on Monday so we could head home before the traffic got worse. On Tuesday, we were told to stay home for the entire day. And then today, the power went out at 10:30AM and we were told that it wouldn't come back on for four hours. My boss was kind enough to let me go home and now here I am, sitting on my couch and enjoying the first bits of sunshine that have poked through the sky in four days.
The rain has wreacked havoc on many people in the DC area. Rivers are overflowing and homes are flooded. Luckily for my family, our house is dry and we have electricity. The rain is mostly a nuisance.
I have to admit though that I have thoroughly enjoyed the rain. I love rain and I love thunderstorms and I love overcast skies. My sister and I even did a rain dance on Sunday night. I wouldn't mind if it rained for another two weeks, but then again, that would inevitably lead to my house washing away like Piglet. (And of course, I don't want anymore people to lose their homes to flooding.) I suppose in my own perfect world it would rain everyday for a few hours but no house will ever get flooded. Ah, utopia.
