It's raining sunshine!

So, I'm sitting down here in Florida - 'hunkered' down, we like to say - waiting patiently for the doom and gloom that the weather guys seem so desperate for. They all huddle in their slickers, standing in the shallow surf and praying for a giant, rogue wave to wash over them, justifying all their dire predictions.

Guess what. Ain't happenin'. (That's another thing we like to say down here.)

Oh, it is raining. But it's a lovely, misty rain like you might get out in Olympia. A refreshing breath of green-bringing, heat-reducing loveliness.

I'm not saying that bad weather might not come.

I've been through hurricanes. I've made my preparations. Like everyone else down here, I went to the Publix and the Home Depot yesterday. I have my water, bread, peanut butter and gas for my generator.

I've stowed all of the patio furniture and dug out my weather radio.

I've done all of my laundry, dishes and cleaned the entire house so that if I have to live in it with 98 degree temperatures and no power, at least it's tidy and comfortable.

I know what it's like to be without power or water in Florida in August. For 2 weeks. Not pretty.

Would you like to see some pics of my place the last time a big storm blew through? Just a few, none of the roof damage, broken windows, downed power lines across my driveway. Just downed trees in my yard and on my street.

When this tree, a beautiful triple-trunk Laurel Oak that shaded my back yard and incomplete patio, I cried. Literally, I stood at the doors, looking out at the storm and this huge wall of roots and I cried. Maybe I'm lame to cry over a tree, but it hurt and it still makes me a little sad.

But I have a pool their now, so I guess I've moved on. Sort of.

Oh yeah, good times.