Today has been one of those awesome Arizona rain storm type days, when everything glimmers with the dew from a rain storm, and the air feels and looks clear and clean. Gwennie and I had a lovely morning and even made it to the library. At pick-up we decided on an impromptu playdate at our friends' house. Gwennie and I stopped at the house to grab her gear for soccer practice so that we wouldn't have to rush after the playdate.
Just after we left the house, the rain started- hard and heavy. By the time we got to our A's house and I needed to open the gate to get into her yard, it began to hail. We got inside and the rain abated a little. We sat on her porch and chatted while the kids played. We watched the storm roll closer and felt the temperature change.
Then came the deluge with more hail. We rushed into the house, trying to stay dry. We decided that Gwennie's soccer practice would be canceled (it was) and that Rhayn and her pal could work on their homework until the rain stopped.
It was 5:15 and the rain slowed and finally stopped. Gwennie wanted to see their chicks so we all went out to the barn to check them out before leaving. Aslan, the rooster, pecked Rhayn on her right ankle and drew blood. A carried her into the house and cleaned her wound. It wasn't too bad but bled quite a bit. Her ankle hurts, but will be fine.
After the drama, we finally got into the Mazda and headed out. They live on a dirt road that runs along a canal. I was worried about that part of the road, but it proved to be fine other than one really big puddle. We got onto the paved part of the road and our trouble began.
We headed home the normal way, but were stopped by a kind gentleman who mentioned that the road ahead was flooded and one couldn't drive that way. So we turned around and headed the other way. It takes longer but it also would get us home. We drove through many huge puddles. The water was gushing on the side of the road. The washes ran vigorously over the road in a few places. One of these washes looked pretty deep. Deep enough that I attempted to find a new way around it. I only found more flooded streets with even deeper washes running over them.
There were no barriers by this wash, thankfully, so I didn't need to fear the Stupid Motorist Law, but my heart beat very fast while I drove through the wash. (I watched about 5 cars and trucks go through it before deciding I could do it.) We made it through and the road looked quite a bit better after that.
Just before we turned on to the main road we drove through another huge puddle/wash/river. It was scary, but we made it. The rest of the drive home was fairly uneventful, the road was flooded and down from 2 lanes in both directions to only one lane going east. At home all of our plants and trees are fine. The backyard is a lake and will be a mud pit by tomorrow. Our house will be muddy from the dogs and kids, but its all fine. We are home and safe. What else matters?
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