How are You Doing with All That Rain?

This was posted on wunderground.com on the morning of June 19, 2009. It was followed by warnings of more rain and flash-flooding.

Record Report

Statement as of 2:16 am EDT on June 19, 2009
... Record daily maximum rainfall set at Kennedy Airport NY...

A record rainfall of 2.25 inch(es) was set at Kennedy Airport NY yesterday. This breaks the old record of 1.49 set in 1972.

Public Information Statement

Statement as of 10:35 am EDT on June 19, 2009
... Unusually cool and wet weather continues in June...

June 2009 in Central Park NY been marked by persistent wet weather and below average temperatures
Through June 18... the average monthly temperature is 64.7 degrees... 5.0 degrees below normal.

Total rainfall for the month through June 18 is 7.62 inches... which is 5.33 inches above normal thus far. Rain has fallen on 15 of the first 18 days this month.

And the rain came and more came and I've not looked at the record-breaking info any more but ... Here we are into July and even more rain ... rain of some sort nearly every day. It loves to rain on our moving days. (But not as much as on Fridays.) How am I doing with all of this? In a word? Resigned? I would say "resentful" except I don't resent it 100% of the time.

The tent (EMS Pallas 6 Tent) has been amazing. It deserves it's very own post.

The facilities are dismal for tent campers and pop-up campers who might not be able to access a vehicle in order to escape the danger of the lightning.

The amazing lack of education about lightning is alarming. The blatant disregard for the safety of children ... especially after the adults are informed ... is discouraging on so many levels.

Example:

Me to man who was bringing children to the restrooms: "Please tell me you know that the trees and canopies do not protect you from the possibility of lightning strike."

Man: "Oh yeah. We know. We're just taking it in stride waiting it out under the canopies ... just part of the adventure."

Me to man: "That is fine for you to make that decision for yourself but please do not endanger the lives of the children who do not really have the ability to completely make a truly educated decision for themselves."

Man gave me a startled look and left with the girls ... after making sure they washed their hands ... priorities you know.

I have worked to become more and more resourceful and resistant to just giving up:

• I can stake down the tent as well as Billy (if not better than -- just from practice)
• I've learned to keep moving. Either put on the water proof jacket and pants or do housekeeping inside the tent that requires moving from spot to spot. (Yes, the tent is large enough to do this.)
• I have links to several weather info sources in both my pc and my cell phone. The cell phone is so helpful. One link is to the local radar image. HUGE help!
• I am becoming much more able to discern when I should take the dog and lurk around the bathhouse ... in case ... OR ... take off at break-neck speed.

All the same, Billy will be the first to tell you that I am more than grumpy about daytime thunderstorms that leave me stranded at bathhouses. Uggg. Boredom and (depending on the location) anxiety about having the dog in a "no pets" zone and deeply resenting the odor of the area (again depending on the location).

I have been working on this post in bits and pieces since June 19th ... Two weeks later I might be able to actually complete this. But let me tell you yesterday was the absolute topper.

• Camp director told me that the only place I could go during a daytime rain storm with the dog is under a pavilion. I have a news flash for him and you -- this is not a safe solution. Most of the large pavilions are just dirt floor; therefore, the current that would travel into the ground from a strike would still harm/kill me. It is akin to standing under a tall tree. The pavilions that do have flooring are small and filled with aluminum tables. Yeah ok.
• Billy told me that he didn't consider me replaceable ... so leave the dog in her crate in the tent.
• I left the dog in her crate. With all the zippers to the three doors and two windows zipped up tight.
• I went to the bathhouse. Visited with the lady who was cleaning the place. And as the rain and lightning let up a bit ... I realized ...
• WAIT I only zipped up one of the windows. Worse: the window I didn't zip is right beside the container that holds some of our rain sensitive equipment ... and I had had the lid off earlier ... and I couldn't remember putting the lid back on.
• I decided that the rain had let up enough to make a run for it and maybe be okay.
• I reached the tent only to find Shelbie out running around the tent ... wet & upset. She had banged the crate around until the door fell out (not hard to do since i didn't really have all the screws in it ... silly me thought that 40lbs of weight on top would hold the top down) and then she nosed open the zippers.
• Sigh
• The thunder and lightning was moving back in ... I zipped up the window ... quick glance in ... the lid was mostly in place ... grabbed the dog's leash and the dog and took off for the closest small pavilion.
• For the record ... mosquitoes have an amazingly easy time biting right through wet jeans.
• In the mean time Billy came through and we managed to cross paths. He was waiting for me at the bathhouse ... scaring little girls by calling into the bathroom. "Pam are you in there?" Ermmm one of the girls was named Pam ..
  
• Fortunately I was able to get a text msg off to him and we made a connection ... and left the campground and ate at McDonald's and got on the Internet for a little while

Today, dog and I are in White Plains waiting for Billy to finish off what is traditionally a short work day. Me? Resent the rain? Yes.