new connotations for rain and other adjustments

People keep telling Mr. Clean and I that we are in the middle of a drought.  The following is why I don't quite understand their usage of the word drought:

This is the streamlet in the back of our apartment that generally runs about 3 inches deep and a couple of inches wide.  Right now it is probably about 6 feet across and several feet deep (and it's still coming down). It's been raining like this on and off for a few days now. 

In contrast was last week, when the landscaping crew actually busted out some sprinklers.  It was sort of funny - they had hoses pulled all over kingdom come trying to figure out how to water everything (obviously they don't have to resort to using them very often).

So, my conclusions are as follows:

1.  Drought has a different connotation in Virginia than it does in Utah. Compared to my Utah background, drought out here seems to be rather shorter and moister than the drought I am used to.   
2.  Rain has a different connotation in Virginia than it does in Utah.  My perspective on this has changed very rapidly.  If you can walk in it for a couple of seconds without feeling like you've just showered in your clothes, it is no longer a true rain to me!  Also, as a side note, if thunder doesn't rattle my ribcage and leave a ringing in my ears, it is no longer impressive.
3.  Sprinkler has a different connotation in Virginia than it does in Utah.  Out here it is spoken with an inflection akin to a cuss word.


Tomato, Tomahto. 

a small triumph

Normally if I see a bug I scream and call the fearless and handsome Mr. Clean to come take care of it for me.  I hate bugs (Mr. Clean does too, but he must love me a lot because he always catches and gets rid of them without complaining). 

This morning I spotted a HUGE (ok...it was tiny) cricket that had somehow wandered into our apartment.  I stood there, frozen in place for a minute, then I realized the following: 

1.  I really really really hate bugs. 
2.  Mr. Clean is gone a lot now.
3.  I am home all of the time now.
4.  Running away from something never helps. 
5.  Soon there will be a baby to take care of.
6.  Part of taking care of babies is being brave about things like that are scary or icky.  Like bugs (and throw up...but I'll cross that bridge when I come to it).

Moving forward on that conclusion, I trapped and flushed the cricket - all by myself - with a minimum of squealing and a ton of tissues.  I decided I can count it as a victory even though I never, ever, ever want to do it again. 

Off to obsessively vacuum the apartment now...it's all about baby steps, right?

A new place to call home

5 things I am getting used to after moving back east

5. Wildlife!  I guess more water = more everything.  I have never seen birds in such diversity, or other varmints of various sorts, or even so many dogs in one place.  Really.  Everyone seems to have a dog (or two). 
4.  Cooking in a miniature kitchen.  Take the smallest apartment kitchen you ever had and chop it in half and you have my new kitchen.  It makes me more appreciative of what I had back at our house.
3.  Rain falling from the sky in awesomely ridiculous quantities.  I didn't quite ever actually understand that I lived in a desert climate...until we moved out here and "normal" rainstorms ended up being a spectator sport for us.
2.  Heat + humidity.  Still haven't decided if this is better or worse than dry heat.  It depends on the day.
1.  Supersized bugs.  Thankfully outside, not in.  But still creepy.