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Here comes the rain again — not a bad thing

It might sound strange, but I really enjoyed the storm that passed through the area Thursday afternoon.

With all the rain we’ve had this spring, it surprised me that I welcomed even more.

This shower was different, though. It wasn’t a dreary, cold day when it seemed the rain would never end. This was more of a passing summer storm.

The day started out sort of hot and humid, compared to what I had become used to. In fact, I was rather uncomfortable as a result of the heat and had opened all the windows and turned on our fans.

But then, the wind began to blow. The sky became increasingly dark, and I could smell the coming rain on the breeze. When it arrived, it fell fast and hard, and pretty much straight down for a while.

I read on social media that a friend with a rain gauge measured an inch of rain in just a short while.

For the first time in months, I could hear the rain striking the metal of our back porch roof. I can’t hear that distinctive sound when all the doors and windows are closed, and I had missed it.

After much of the rain had passed, that’s when the thunder began to roll. I didn’t see any lightning, but those deep, dark-sounding rumbles let me know it was flickering and flashing out there somewhere.

I found this storm oddly soothing. It made me think of summer days when I was small. I always wanted to run outside and play in the rain. I enjoyed how it naturally cooled the environment, and me, as it fell from above.

I liked that it cooled the sidewalk so it didn’t burn my bare feet. And I loved to splash and play in the clear little puddles that formed in the depression in the concrete. Most sidewalks in Belmont consist of large slabs of stone, but n front of my house they are concrete and, rather than breaking apart and slipping at odd angles, they just form cracks and small pits in spots anywhere they are damaged.

After the storm had passed, the sky began to clear. The dark gray clouds did not linger. Some blue began to peek through, and the evening was cooler than the afternoon had been and generally pleasant.

My cats had different opinions about the weather. The one that lives indoors with us, Fu, found a tight little hiding place in which to rise out the storm. She meowed loudly a few times, as if she were telling us to make it stop.

Mr. White, our rescued porch cat, disappeared. He always find places to go when the weather kicks up. Afterwar, though, he had plenty to say about how the water on the grass was making his paws wet. He did not approve.

I hope we have plenty more such summer storms without any that cause damage. Sometimes weather in our area can be scary. Tornadoes are not unheard of. Microbursts are fairly frequent. Floods, both of the Ohio River and of smaller streams an low-lying areas, are all too common in our local communities.

We don’t need any of that with everything else that has been going on this year, but I will gladly take some pleasant summer rain.

∫ ∫ ∫

Speaking of Mr. White, he had an adventure a few weeks ago. I don’t know any of the details, other than the fact that it lasted several days.

Adopted by us after his owner, our neighbor Jess Lucas, died and his house was demolished, this feisty little guy has become a fixture on our porch and lawn. He comes and goes several times a day, strolling casually across the street to my brother’s property to see what’s happening over there.

When we take too long to feed him, he stands on his hind feet and actually taps on the storm door with his front paws. We rarely go a few hours without seeing or hearing him.

One day in May, though, he left home and didn’t return on his usual schedule. He was actually gone for five days, as far as we could tell. My brother thought he spotted him once during this period, but there is another very similar looking cat in the neighborhood, so I am not convinced it was him.

We drove and walked around the area, calling out for him, just about every day. We spotted no signs of him.

When he finally eturned, I saw him coming from across the road. He was headed toward home at a dead run, but nothing seemed to be chasing him. He ate three bowls of food that day, which is unusual. He also stayed right on the porch for about 48 hours. Although he looked to be uninjured and in good health, something had shaken his confidence.

I suspect that curiosity nearly killed the cat this time. My best guess is that he decided to explore someone’s garage or shed and got locked inside.

Whatever happened, he was certainly glad to be back home. And we were glad to have him back.

Like kids, raising pets can be rewarding and worrisome. Appreciate them if you have them.

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