Rain Makes Me Nervous

It started raining yesterday in LA. Not that rain is exceptionally noteworthy, but it was the first overcast day since we moved here. And the sprinkles started and then some heavy rain, but nothing I'd consider a downpour or anything of that nature. '

However, it was about 4 a.m. when I started hearing what sounded like waves outside our bedroom window. We're close the ocean in a sense that we are only about 15 miles away from the coast, but 15 miles is not nearly enough to hear the lapping of water on sand.

I looked out the window to see cars on the road next to our apartment slowing down (if they had enough time) and skidding through flooded street. The wave sound was the sound of the water lapping against the parked cars on the side of the street. We live near a busy street. It's 3 lanes on each side. We've also come to realize that we live with people who aren't used to flash flooding.

By the time I woke up and got out of bed, the flooding had subsided and the street was wet, but passable. The rains had dwindled and it looked like a soggy day. However, around 11 a.m. they kicked back up again and by early afternoon, you couldn't see road for about half a block. The water was standing about 8 inches high.

As entertaining as it was to watch all these cars come to a screeching halt in time to see their cars under a huge spray, it also made me nervous. Anyone who lived in Nashville in May knows what I'm talking about. It was during the flood that I learned it only takes a foot of water to sweep away a car. That rains can become raging rapids in less time than it takes to get to the supermarket 4 blocks away. There's a point when you start wondering if you have flood insurance. Realizing that even if you do have flood insurance, the roof might collapse from all the rain collected on it. That while being a part of history is fun, it's much more enjoyable in, say, a witnessing a no-hitter kind of way instead of a being a part of a 100 year flood kind of way.

They say Los Angeles hasn't had rain like this in a decade. Well, I'm tired of being a part of memorable weather. The next history-making weather I want to be a part of is the longest streak of consecutive 72 degree and sunny days in Southern California history. Of course, I'll have to wait another 4 days for that to begin as the rain isn't supposed to let up until Thursday.

I know those of you suffering in snow have little sympathy, but I thought I'd vent nonetheless.