Thunder road

Growing up in San Diego, I was terrified of thunderstorms because we seldom had more than one per year (it's not very humid, except sometimes at the end of summer). I eventually got over that, and once I moved to the East Coast (where thunderstorms are fairly common in spring and summer) I realised how refreshing they can be when they roll through and drop the temperature 20 degrees in the space of an hour. (Although it sounds like they've about had it with thunderstorms this week in DC...note to self: call management company to see how badly flooded the basement of your house is.) Having said that, I've realised that my enjoyment of thunderstorms has its limits. For example:

(a) You know that old Bob Seger song where he sings "I woke last night to the sound of thunder/How far off I sat and wondered"? (C'mon, sing it with me.) Well last night we had one of those storms that was more like "I woke last night to the sound of...holy crap, did that just hit the house? And is that rain blowing through my open window and hitting me in the face?" (Doesn't go quite as well with the tune, I know.) It was one of those storms that lasts for at least an hour or two, and for much of the time the house was literally shaking. Not fun when you're trying to catch up on some of the last sleep that you may get for the next several years (nor, I understand from close sources, is it fun when you're in the hospital and your baby has finally fallen asleep and the storm arrives during your short window of opportunity between feedings).

(b) There's nothing like getting home and being faced with a dog who simply must go out RIGHT THIS MINUTE and the skies open up and thunder starts crashing as soon as you walk out the door...then, because he's distracted by the rain and thunder he decides not to poop after all, so you arrive home drenched through your clothes and he's still a maniac. Good times...