Rain, My Refuge

I've lived in Seattle (Washington), all my life and that means I've been here 50+ years.

Needless to say I've seen a lot of changes, some good, some not-so-good.
Our traffic bites and I avoid driving on the freeway as much as possible. The "rush hour" starts around 2pm and you can count on bumper to bumper, gridlocked traffic running a good 100 miles between Olympia, (south of Seattle), to Mount Vernon, (north of Seattle) till almost 7pm. Fun Fun.

Problem is that most people who work in Seattle can't afford to live there so they move out to areas they can afford and do the grueling commute thing all week.
I guess when they designed the freeways out here they never dreamed the amount of traffic that would be utilizing them - too many vehicles and not enough freeway.


Of course the first thing people ask me when they find out I live in Seattle or that I'm asked from folks who just move to Seattle, is if it rains as much as they've heard it does.
YES! It sure does and I LOVE it!!!

Of course the traffic is even worse when it rains, which is often enough that rush hour can only be described as "The Commute From Hell".

Do you know how to tell the locals from the tourists in Seattle?

It's quite easy -

the visitors, tourists and folks that just moved to Seattle are the ones walking around with umbrellas.

Us locals learned a loooooong time ago that umbrellas are a total waste of time in the kind of rain we have - especially when a wind comes up, (which is quite often).

My youngest daughter LOVED umbrellas when she was little and I can't even count how many she had but do know that she didn't have any of them very long. They were always left behind somewhere in her busy day, never to be seen again. My daughter is 24 now and umbrellas fell to the wayside a long time ago for her. Like the rest of the Seattle locals, she makes sure she dons a warm jacket/coat with a hood when going out in the rain.

Rain = Depression

Some Seattleites get depressed when it rains and that's because it can rain day after day after day.

I don't mind if it rains every day and as a matter of fact, I prefer it. The rain gives me an odd sense of security, I just love it.

In 2007 I accepted a job at Yosemite National Park in California.

I arrived May 5th and didn't see a drop of rain until November and when it arrived, I did my Happy Dance! I spent a little over three years in the Yosemite area where it feels like summer from Easter to Thanksgiving - way too much sunshine for me!!

I'm not a sun worshiper.

As a matter of fact when the temps rise above 75 degrees I want to hibernate like a bear in the winder and not find my way out until the cool, brisk fall weather creeps in.

California was a struggle for me being in all that sunshine. When I finally got back to Seattle, (which I came back in October 2010), I would sit outside whenever it rained and thank God for not only leading me back to my hometown/city where I am so rooted, but for the beautiful symphony nature presents here - the sound of rain is my favorite music!

You will be secure, because there is hope;

 you will look about you and take your rest in safety. 

You will lie down, with no one to make you afraid,

and many will court your favor.

~Job 11:18-19