Can you beat the storm?

Work was odd this Tuesday. Without the crush of students brought by registration and then de-registration we found ourselves catching up on all the projects - clearing desks, changing offices, finalizing reports, and ordering supplies etc. - that don't get done during our busy (very busy) times.

The Internet was "down-ish" - soooo slooowwww when it was working that anything requiring the net (time sheets, schedules, email) became a major frustration. And then the weather began to look a little strange. But no Internet, no Intellicast or other weather site...no way to check what was coming.

Suddenly the storm was on us. It came in with crazy-mad wind blowing the dirt of the construction areas like a sandblaster and then swirling it around. The wind broke tree limbs and lifted metal siding (slamming it down with a crash).

All I could think was that Houdini dog was, at that minute, working to escape the yard - escape the storm.

Just as the rain was starting I hustled to the car and home, hoping to at least be able to get her inside and calmed.

As I turned our corner I saw that my boy was already home, the gate to the yard was open, and there was no sign of Padimus...no sign outside anyway. The kitchen floor was a mess of muddy dog prints. It seems he arrived with the storm and Paddy met him at the gate, grateful for the rescue.

So, after the storm passed and the temperature dropped 15 degrees, Paddy and I took a leisurely walk to the park and back. The storm had washed away the scents so the distractions tonight were movement: the dog walking in the park, crickets hopping on the sidewalk, a broken Styrofoam cup rolling erratically in the middle of the street.

We surprised a bird as we arrived home (it flew away squawking into the dusk), but wasted no time in getting inside for the night. More bad weather threatens tonight and we will need our rest for tomorrow and our decision about the pack...