A Side Benefit to our Rain

I love rain, and it's raining here--I mean really raining. Not the blowing 50 mph sandblasting the skin off your face rain we had a few days ago, but that nice, sweet smelling summer rain complete with thunder. If you don't live in this part of the world, you don't understand what a phenomenon this is. Usually we are under a burn ban by July 4, and by the middle of August the bar ditches and pastures are brown and just clamoring for a spark from the railroad or somebody's tossed out the window cigarette to ignite. After June rain is sparse to say the least--not that we have a lot of rain throughout the year. 18 inches for the year on average.

I'm not running my gazillion errands because there isn't enough money for me to get out a 6 year old and 4 year old in the rain trying to juggle my returns, cart, and one umbrella (no--Kennedi does not get her own; somebody's eye would be put out) while listening to the "I'm getting wet Momma. ____isn't sharing the umbrella and all the while I'm getting wetter and wetter and then Kennedi will start crying because her shoes are wet. Nope, not worth it for any price. I could ditch the umbrella, but then I'd have to hear about the wet clothes and "Momma, I'm cold" for 30 minutes in Target. I'll stay home and try my shoes on again. So, good thing I did.

I shopped the other day at Land's End for some clothing to take to Russia since it looks like a winter trip is in our future. I love sweatshirts and bulky sweaters. It doesn't take too many of them to fill up a suitcase, and from reading other's blogs and the travel booklet from our agency, Russia keeps the heat way up in their buildings during the winter--much more than we're used to. Everyone talks about sweating in the orphanages while visiting their child. Layering is what is recommended, so you can strip as your body turns into a fiery furnace. I don't layer. Basically, it takes too much time. Why put on two or three shirts when I can put on one and get the same result? That said, I obviously I don't have much to layer with. Also, I'm thinking snow or at least slush, so foot gear is something to think about as well. My Uggs look as good as the day Doug bought them for me 21 years ago, but they will take a bunch of prime suitcase space. I'm the kind of girl who hardly buys anything that isn't on sale. I gravitate to the 75% off racks at the back of the store and the clearance buttons online. Land's End was having one heck of a sale last week. Shirts for layering were $4.99; cardigans $7.99; shoes $9.99. My kind of shopping! I bought 2 of the all weather shoes on sale. When they came in this weekend, unfortunately, they were a bit small. Well, why waiting for the rain to stop, I noticed that my toe nails hadn't been clipped in quite some time. (It's hard for me to pay for a pedicure when I can put polish on my own toes for free.) Could the fact that my toe nail, which was so long it could possibly be mistaken for a diving board for the Polly Pocket dolls, was causing my new shoes not to fit? I'm embarrassed to say yes. That was my problem. So, I get to keep my bargain basement "I'm going to Russia and about to wear some really ugly but comfortable all terrain" shoes after all. Thank you, Rain!