Yesterday was the weirdest day.

I got up and went out rather early, to be greeted by that peculiar type of grey-blue light that seems to leech the colour out of everything.

You know, the pre-storm type.

And I thought to myself:

"This is going to be a weird day."

And sure enough, it was.

I tromped through the mall, dropping off keys which I accidentily walked home with.

As I exitted the other side of the mall, lightning hit the far mountain, not once, but about four times, pretty close together.

And it started to rain gently.

As I was walking to the nearest second hand store, a van pulled up beside me.

"Hey, you going uptown?"

I didn't recognize the van, but the driver was my mailman.

"No, I'm heading just over there."

"Well, d'you need a ride?"

He wasn't being creepy. He was a very pleasant older man.

"No, but thank you."

I think I should have taken it.

When I got to the second hand store, lightning hit the top of Elephant Mountain (the closest mountain).

And then it started to rain.

And hail. Big hail.

Not huge, but big.

It was pouring. The water was coming in the door. (Fortunately, concrete floors.)

When the hail eased off, I booked it around the corner to the WIN store, only to be greeted by a waterfall coming from the ceiling.

The place was flooding, so I helped the ladies at the store put out totes (totes!) under the burst pipes in the ceiling.

Three were almost entirely full, and they were only under one break.

When the rain eased up (the run between stores, merely around the corner, soaked through my jacket and shirt, and wetted the front of my pants -- that was the rain, I swear, and not me wetting it!), everyone in the store wandered out onto the little porch thing to stare in horror at the river that used to be the road and sidewalks.

The waves were high, from the incoming water from up the hill and the cars still plowing through.

I was going to try and walk to the Share store (another thrift store), until I realized there was no dry land, even right close to the buildings.

So I took off my shoes and socks and waded in.

It was great!

There was no pull, because the water wasn't going anywhere.

The water was really dirty, though, but the sidewalk was fine, and I didn't step on anything.

I waded to the crosswalk (up to my ankles), pressed the button and politely waited, my shoes dangling from one hand.

One of the trucks plowing through the turn was nice enough to stop and wave me (incredulously) through.

I had to feel for the curb with my feet, though, but then I cheerfully plowed through the water.

Although I'd pulled my pants up to my knees, they were already thoroughly wet, so I didn't mind about getting them a bit wetter.

The guys that work at the internet place in the building I was approaching were all pressed in the window pointing and staring at the water and waving at me.

I waved back.

Then I walked barefoot to Share, wiped my feet on the doormat, and put my shoes back on.

And promptly phoned Kelly to make sure she had no paintings in the basement of the internet building place (she has a show there right now).

Apparently water was pouring in the doors and windows.

She didn't have any paintings in the basement, but appreciated the gesture.

By the time I left Share, the intersection had nearly drained.

I walked around the corner, rented Hairspray (long live John Waters!), and went to the Sally Ann and bought a new (dry!) summer dress (it's pretty: pale olive green, ankle length, sleeveless, buttons up the front; it needs a touch of mending, but it was worth it).

Then I ran around Baker Street for a while, ran into Janette, took her to lunch, and cleaned Judy and Janette's kitchen (mostly).

Then the sun came out and everything dried up.

It was weird.

It was a weird, but good day.

And then, in the evening, the lightning started again, and it was pink.

Pink!

Pink lightning!

It was cool.

I did a lot of practice caligraphy in the gothic style. It was nice.

And with that, I'm going to bed.

G'night.

.

Rosemart the Destroyer.

Before&After