We had a storm the likes of which I have NEVER seen. It was fantastic. Thunder, lightening, wind, the works. Or course it was the day we were set to take the dogs who haven’t been groomed in two months, to a groomer. It’s one thing washing them ourselves, it’s another think cutting them. It was pouring and hailing and the wind was so strong inside the house it felt like it was going to blow the wood shutters off.
I walked into the bedroom, found a window had blown open and raining was blowing and pouring into the room. I ran over to close it and didn’t notice that the tile terra-cotta floor was covered in water. I was wearing slippers with rubber. I literally flew into the air and landed on big, fortunately, ass. Three floors down, Jim heard me scream and came running, assuming I was dead or permanently maimed. My biggest fear was that I reinsured my coccyx and then I’d be in serious trouble. Oppressive pain, 24 hours a day for months.
I may have nicked it a bit and my ass is so bloody sore, but I can walk and get around just fine (climbing hills and bending over or a bit tricky), but other than that, I’m fine.
Last night, stayed up and painted after Jim went to sleep. Tootsie, naturally, stayed with me. At one point there was a crck of thunder so loud I was convinced the earth had separated. Tootsie and I exchanged “WTF” looks and then she went back to sleep. And the wind! It was beating against the house, slamming shutters, knocking over rose buses, decimating the umbrella over the outdoor dining table. It was undoubtedly the best storm I’ve ever experienced. Right out of “Wuthering Heights.”
We’ve laid low since arriving. Visited Pistoia and went another town, Cutliagno, that was spectacular. We have lots of little day journeys planned including a boat road to Cinque Terre, but for now we’re laying low and reading, writing, painting. Being boring.
Now, Jim weighs in.
Some people hate a strong wind; fear it. I think it’s the uncertainty of a strong wind; the mystery of what it might bring or do. Is it getting stronger? Or finally letting up? Will it blow the tree into the house? Will we lose electricity? Or god forbid, television coverage!
I love a wind storm. We’ve been experiencing a big one for over 24 hours, but now the rain and thunder and lightening have moved on and the sky and mountain view from our stone house high up in the Appennies Mountains is now glorious to see.
I’ve had to literally batten down the hatches. These old Italian stone houses have storm shutters generally folded back against the stone walls of the house outside of the houses’ windows. And they have a catch on them that in normal weather keeps them securely fastened to the walls. But when the wind blows as it has been yesterday and today, those catches don’t always hold. And they periodically bang open and closed in a frightening fashion. All I could do was close a few of them in front of the windows until the wind dies down.
A wind storm like this high on a mountain is an adventure of sorts. And like all adventures is uncertain of outcome. But so is life, itself. And I find its that very uncertainty that gives my life a welcome and exciting zest.
Holding tight to my hat,
Love,
Jim
movie You have to see and hear this storm as it passes so hit link.