It's raining. What do we do now?

Year 4 of the California drought.

Neighbors have had their lawns removed and replaced with "desert landscape" looking as if they really are in the Mojave desert. (They look ridiculous.)

Water conservation efforts are at full operation and the cities are imposing a high fine for any household exceeding their predetermined water allotment. (I have yet to exceed mine but I am water savvy conscious!)

If you have a green lawn, or blossoming flowers a neighborhood narc group will report you to the city to find out why and HOW.

Lakes are well below their lowest points. You have to hike a mile to get to water. Boat launches are no longer necessary.

Fish are dying off. 

No snow base in the High Sierras to determine if we will ever have water to sprinkle again.
Farmers are allowing the crops to revert to dust and can no longer afford to water the crops which drives the cost of food up even higher.

You've been hearing this all on the news. We are going to dry up and blow away.

Now, we are awaiting "El Nino".- Weeks long of storm after storm, cold weather and flooding.
All the local TV channels are a-buzz with STORM WATCH 2016. A few drops send this event to national news. Cautionary tales to continue to conserve your water. . . or else!

Moisture drips from the sky and everyone starts running around in circles not knowing what to do first.

Mothers pack their children in zip-locks and run screaming with the children to avoid getting wet. (It may melt your skin. acid rain is real)

Motorists skid out of control as their tires hit oily pavement and slide across the highway.

Windshield wiper blades, formerly used only to do a quick swipe now and then to remove morning mist, are now found to be shredding and ineffective when needed to perform against rain falling for more than 5 minutes. Auto shops are holding seminars on how to purchase-install-and use wiper blades.

I too have fallen into the crazed state of wondering what to do when so much water befalls us in such a short time. Add the lightening and thunder and we all assume its an earthquake- we know what to do for that act of nature.

As my swimming pool overflowed and the yard drains obviously plugged up from the foreign occurance of water gushing into them , I was scrambling to create a dike and sand bag effect to keep the rising water at bay and out of the house.

I scoffed at myself to have been caught so unprepared at the watery onslaught. Within seconds I was wet to the core and stripped off the pants weighing me down and got into flip flops. What a sight as I scrambled around in the frigid rain and kept it up until my teeth were chattering and Mr. Man got home to save the day. His comments about me outside in underwear and flip flops was unwelcomed. If any neighbor is looking out at me scrambling to save the house by myself without offering any assistance then shame on them!

Donning his only water proof jacket available, a red hooded windbreaker you could see through, a long sleeved Columbia hike shirt designed to wick away moisture, snow pants from the last ski trip circa mid 1990's when the waist line was in the LOW 30's and hiking boots, he forged out and began the clearing of the drains.

Removing a tree root as long as a foot ball field and a sludge-root mass the size of a bowling ball, we achieved yard drain success as the entire yard began to swirl like an enormous toilet bowl and slurp down the multiple drains now cleared.

Lips blue and teeth chattering, the 3 hour drain clean out left Mr. Man hypothermic and waiting for hot soup and hot shower simultaneously.

I had to laugh at him as he started removing the wet clothing, and peeling off the soaked "waterproof" ski pants but especially laughed at the dismal failure of the pricey Columbia brand hike shirt that absolutely could not wick away a drop of the water it had absorbed nor provide any kind of thermal relief from the freezing rain.  Even the hiking boots proved a fail and I expected fish to fall out of them when they had the water dumped out.

Yup. You know you are a true Southern Californian when the best rain coat you've got is a GLAD Trash bag. Even my golf and beach umbrella proved insufficiently waterproof.

Now that the yard and house are saved, we are ready for the next STORM, coming this way in 2 days. I can safely sit back and revel in it.

I love the rain. I love to dance in it. I love to listen to it and watch it make drip rings in the pool. I've already got the next rain outfit picked out. It covers more body real estate, its warmer and my rain barrels are upright and ready. Bring it!

Here's my take on the old hand clap and jump rope song . . . .

"Say say oh playmate, come out and play with me.

And bring your doggies three,

Climb up my big palm trees.
Jump into my rain barrels,
Slip slide into my French doors.
And we'll be rainy day friends,
Forever more----one, two, three, four."

"So sorry playmate,

I cannot play with you.
Ive sadly got the flu,
I cough until I'm blue.
Ain't got a rain barrel,
and only a sliding glass door,
But we can still be friends,
Forever more--one, two three, four."