Boom, Boom, Boom, Boom

(with apologies to John Lee Hooker)

I am not a Nervous Nellie when it comes to weather.  I like thunderstorms. They are enervating, invigorating, and sometimes, depending on my mood, absolutely welcome.   I have stood on the high wide-open porches of GulfShores (when they still were there, pre-Katrina) and welcomed a Gulf Coast tempest with open arms.  I rode out hail and hurricane without being too frightened.  I like to be at our country cabin when storms roll in.

All that being said, tonight is making me twitchy.  The lightning is not that cloud-to-cloud kind.  It's wide as the sky and striking straight down in white-blue flashes that linger just a little too long.  My windchimes are clashing against each other on every side of the house as wind wraps around the house like the fingers of a hand. 

The school, before I left it, was creaking in the wind, massive solid old brick building that it is.  It was making those soft sounds I always associate with a large beast hunkering down on its foundations, curving its great back against the rain and storm.  Until I heard that shifting, I didn't realize how bad the weather really was.  That's when I decided I needed to come home, when I looked out and saw the huge oaks across the street bending and thrashing.

My small dog is hunkered behind my knees as I'm typing.  When the weather gets bad, he goes everywhere with me, a constant little golden shadow.  When I go to bed, he will wedge himself under it despite the fact that he doesn't quite fit.  I will hear the gentle chiming of his collar tags throughout the night.  The cats, all of whom will also be piled up on the bed trying to pretend they're not looking for comfort, will be annoyed by this.

It's a good night to look for comfort, actually.  I am thinking of crawling into bed early if for no other reason than giving myself the childish refuge  of warm covers that can be pulled over my head.  Oh, sure, I'll tell myself that it's because I didn't sleep well last night and that the satellite is out so there's really nothing else to do.  I'll tell myself it's because I'm going in there to read in comfort.  But really..... really....it's to get away from this window so I don't have to watch the lightning hit this hilltop anymore...... (shudder)