And the Downside of Rain

Fish Creek Park, my favourite haunt, is closed due to flooding. I went down there on Thursday morning (before the close issue) and couldn't believe my eyes. I'd packed the camera and wanted to go down by the river. (I'm sensible, cautious, and revere life and limb so I would not have been one of these people they'd ended up having to rescue.) I couldn't get near the river (that's the Bow River for those of you who don't live around here). Everything was flooded. Rivers flowed across pathways, roads were flooded out, picnic areas were small lakes, meadows were ponds, old, dried-up creek beds were raging, bulging creeks. I could hardly believe it. RCMP mounted police (actually ON horseback) were in the park making sure people weren't getting themselves into trouble. I tried four different routes I knew of down to the river. No dice. Everything flooded out. Harumph. One of those situations where you go, oh well, either I won't be able to do it, or I'll have to come back with my gum boots.

Though the heavy rain has stopped, it rained some more overnight and this morning. I don't mind the rain. I suppose those who are in flood plains will file their insurance claims and life will move on.

It is now Monday morning (the above written Sunday) and we have since had more heavy rain flooding communities just a mile or two to the west of us. We saw heavy rain yesterday, but nothing compared to what just missed us. Basements flooded, roads impassible. Okay, that’s really enough now. A change in the weather would be welcome. And, to top it all off, (not that this is a surprise in any way), they are predicting a banner year for mosquitos in Calgary. Terrific. Mosquitos and I don’t get along. Just one bite and I welt up and cannot sleep because the itch is madenning. I am allergic, I suppose. I can be in a room with 50 people and one mosquito, and dollars-to-donuts that mosquito will be sitting on my shoulder.

We had a good weekend but I haven’t been sleeping well the past few nights and I’m not sure what to attribute it to. The rain? The humidity? The fact that I think I am fighting a virus? My diet? (which is sensible, reasonable and very healthy)? Over-fatigue from all the walking I’ve been doing? I really don’t know. It is possible that the long-ish naps I took both Saturday and Sunday didn’t help, but that doesn’t explain my bad evening on Friday night.

But, speaking of the weather, I am oh-so-happy not to be living in the Great Lakes region. That humidity out there would wilt me before I even had breakfast. I really don’t think I could live there.

Tomorrow or the next day I plan to respond to B2’s tag. I have been so busy and so overwhelmed (perhaps another reason for the sleeplessness) that I haven’t even had time for ordinary blogging, though plenty has come to mind that I want to share. It will all have to wait until the kids are done with their exams.