Tuesday, December 2, 2014

Ventura Highway in the Pouring Rain



The title of this post is a song lyric I imagined into existence. The lyric is really "Ventura Highway in the Sunshine" (from  the band, America, 1972) which makes a lot more sense. It is, however, raining here in southern California as I write this. My research does support my recollection that there was another 1972 song called "It Never Rains in Southern California." We are obsessed here with rain in this very dry place besieged with wildfires and besotted with swimming pools, golf courses, and non-native greenery. So it's raining, and there will be mudslides in the area that recently burned. If I were to turn on the TV which I won't, there would no doubt be a newscaster in front of a graphic titled Storm Watch or Storm of the Century. It's all hype as many things are here--except of course for the poor people whose houses will fill up with mud.

The batten down the hatches oh my god it's raining mentality is a southern California phenomenon that used to bemuse me when I first moved here. I was doing theatre then and a rainy night always meant no-shows and the not as cozy as it sounds experience of having more people on stage than in the audience. But I've lived here far longer than anywhere else and now I feel that way too. I'm sitting on my couch watching the rain hit the water and waiting for my mom to wake up. I'm still in my pajamas and I'm thinking, wow these are nice pajamas and I just might not get out of them today, because, you know, it's raining. And of course I can't really go anywhere anyway since I don't have a caregiver lined up for my mom yet.

And now she's up. Question for the day. Will I be at the orthopedist's office this afternoon....or drinking champagne in my pajamas with friends.

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This just in. Orthopedist.

4 comments:

Not Blank said...

Girl, you would greatly benefit from getting a job or doing some regular volunteering and putting her in adult day care. Having a job gave me a sense of purpose after my ex walked out on me 7 years ago.

Elizabeth said...

Dang. I was shooting for the champagne. I was mulling all these thoughts about the rain as I drove down the Ventura Highway this morning. It IS amusing how it's such an EVENT when it rains, how the whole day is structured around it, how I almost think I should keep the kids home from school!

Ms. Moon said...

In a way, it is marvelous that the rain is that special. I am so very glad you are getting it. It's like a sky-blessing, isn't it?

37paddington said...

sounds like you're due for a pajama day soon! i personally find them very restorative.