Atmospheric River

I heard the term "atmospheric river" for the first time this week. The idea is simple enough. A large river of moisture in the atmosphere dumping rain for several days on the area.  I think I must seem like the Washingtonian who goes to the south and encounters a thunder storm for the first time. It's kind of the same thing. They don't have atmospheric rivers in Georgia and they don't have thunderstorms in Washington. My environmental stupidity explained adequately is as follows: In Georgia I know the weather patterns, what is normal and what is not. I can get clues from nature as to what I can expect to happen in the weather. Here in Washington, I am devoid of them. The old signs of when the weather is changing are totally different here. I don't understand the bird flocking pattern here, so I don't see the signs of a coming storm or a temperature change. The squirrels are different. The trees are different. Even the colors of fall leaves are different and the pattern that they arrive on the trees is different. It's a bit like being hit in the head during a tornado and waking up on the streets of Oz. But a nice Oz, with no houses falling on wicked witches or strange dwarfs singing songs about yellow brick roads. But it is also a wet Oz, pouring  rain for the past few days and will continue at least into next week. No wonder wicked witches don't stand a chance here.

Yesterday my sister and I went to Olympia to visit with a friend. Karen has spoken of Sandy since we were both very young adults. Even though this was the first time I had met her in person, I felt as if I already knew her. We planned to meet up at Starbucks, but Karen and I did not encounter the heavy traffic we'd imagined. We arrived more than an hour early. There was a Hobby Lobby in the same shopping center, so we headed there to spend time and money. I love their yarn and picked up 4 skeins that I think are spectacular.  After that we went to Starbucks to drink tea and wait. Sandy didn't have the same luck that we had and she arrived about 30 minutes late. We finished our tea and headed out into the city to do touristy things.

 We ate lunch at a locally owned pizza restaurant. It was kind of artsy fartsy, but had the choice to leave a meal for someone who needed one, which is always nice.  The food was good and the waitress was better. We all enjoyed the meal.  Then we headed next door to an upscale chocolatier. The candies were so pretty, but also expensive. I didn't buy one because I just can't see myself spending $3 on a single piece of chocolate that is actually too pretty to eat. Instead, I purchased a cup of hot chocolate. It was the creamiest, richest I have ever had. More than a dessert in itself. Next door to that store was the gelato shop where Karen and Sandy purchased pumpkin spice and fudge gelato. But I, being always out of step bought a CBD water.

We didn't spend the whole day eating. After we left the gelato shop we found what is called a GW Blue store. In this area Goodwill takes the best of the stuff people give them and puts it into boutiques. They feel this makes the cast offs worth more. I found a sweater, but was unwilling to pay $20 for a second hand sweater. I bought some flannel lined tights that were new and at a regular price. But the whole idea bothers me. I shop at Goodwill to get a bargain on something that I don't care if someone else has owned. I don't want to pay full retail for cast off clothing.

Our next stop was at a very eclectic shop that has been in business in Olympia for 96 years. I'm sure that when it opened it was a general merchandise store. Now it sells gift books, hand milled soaps and candles and fine linens, etc. It really is the kind of place to go if you are looking for a gift for the person who has everything.  I bought Karen a book of quotes from Henry David Thoreau that I will put in her stocking on Christmas. On the other hand, Karen surprised me with a candle that I had admired, but left sitting on the shelf. The candle is kind of plain Jane for the store, but the smell is to die for. It is called Frasier Fur and it lives up to it's name. It smells just like a Christmas tree.

We had planned to walk around the city visiting more places and admiring the architecture. But remember the atmospheric river that I wrote about earlier. It caught up with us as we were coming out of the eclectic store. I was glad that I had slipped the book into the pocket of my raincoat after paying for it. I didn't want Karen to see me with a bag. The day had been drizzly all afternoon, but as we were walking toward a park it became torrential. We got drenched running the block and a half back to Karen's car.  We drove Sandy back to her car that was still parked at Starbucks and headed home in a rainy rush hour.

Over all it was a fun afternoon. And hey, you didn't one picture of a cat sleeping on my bed in this post. Doesn't that make you happy?  ;0)