Saturday, July 24, 2004

Suggestions of refreshment

We were getting ready to go to the store in the early evening and I looked out our home office window, when I saw a certain yellow haze covering the buildings.  I looked further outside and saw that there were clouds covering the sky.  And these weren't your run-of-the-mill fluffy clouds that make you want to jump because of their appeared bounciness.  These were dark grey, menacing clouds that would make most kids scared.  To us, they were a welcome friend.  As the days lately have been hot and muggy, we have dreamt of respite from the heat.  This was a sign that one was coming.  I heard the wind start howling outside as it began to find it's way into our apartment through the large open windows.  The sound of leaves flying off trees and blowing on the ground below emphasized what was about to happen.  I partially closed the shutters of our office window, just in case it started to do something before we returned, our papers wouldn't get soaked.  We left the house and headed to the corner grocery store (less than one block from our house).  As we walked the wind picked up and began blowing dust around, then into our eyes.  The feeling while not enjoyable, was overlooked because of what it was trumpeting in.  We went into the store and heard several people whispering in excitement about the coming storm.  As we were paying wind ripped through the open doors of the grocery store.  We grabbed our bags and walked out into the beginnings of a sprinkle, but you would have thought it was a dowpour for the way that we carried on.  We looked to the heavens and silently thanked God for the cool drops that were wetting our face.  By the time we got home, it had picked up and during the elevator ride, had become a hard rain.  The wind and rain was coming through the windows where we saw neighbors in the building across pacing their balconies drinking in the summer refreshment.  One neighbor saw Angie lowering our shutters a bit and said with a smile, "It's raining!"  Angie returned the smile and happily agreed.  I am now sitting in a cool room where just a few hours before I was almost paralized by the humid summer heat.  It is funny the difference that the temperature makes.  Irregardless, we will enjoy it.

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