Parrothead Jeff

Somthing I really enjoy but rarely got to experience in San Diego is thunderstorms. They’re much more frequent here in Las Vegas, but only for a short time during the summer monsoon season. We’ve been so dry for so long that I’d nearly forgotten what humidity feels like. Tonight was a welcome change. I was cruising around the internet as I am wont to do in the evenings, reading my RSS subscriptions, posting on F-16.net, and thinking how I would love a good thunderstorm. Someone must’ve heard me because a crash of thunder shook the apartment!

My buddy JR had a computer and virtually everything else electronic in his place rendered useless last year by a lightning strike, so I took precautions. The computer was unplugged as was the modem line and the external hard drive and I went outside to enjoy some of the show.

The humid air clung like a warm blanket and a few drops of drizzle fell in the first few minutes. Lightning flashed in the distance and a low rumble of thunder carried across the valley. The rain picked up quickly until it came down in what almost looked like a thin fog in the distant streetlamps. Water poured off the spanish tiled roof in small waterfalls. The lightning and thunder continued for a time, but strangele little wind blew. The air smelled of wet creosote, sage, and earth. All too soon the storm moved on, leaving the outdoors one big sauna.

Such a relaxing evening. Wish those would happen more often.