Storm Watch 2008. Already. Sigh.

Laurie, I am in San Jose, Ca and it is raining sideways! There are torrential puddles everywhere and people have called in to work due to "weather". Yup, Californians are not driving in the rain! It is snowing ALOT in the Sierra but there are still crazy people driving over the mountain without even thinking they might need chains.
I adore California and consider myself a californian (after almost 20 years) but oh my, the weather thing cracks me up still!

I love California, too, more than anywhere else on the planet I think. Except maybe Paris. I think part of the charm is just how nutty people are about driving and rain, you know? I love my crazy California!

I always thought you were teasing about the fear of rain in Cali...until I traveled to San Diego last year and it rained. Holy moly. You would have thought the sky was falling. Too funny.

Those retardo boys may have had slingshots? I didn't know that...ick.

You took the words right out of my mouth regarding the rain/Britney coverage.

Hope you have fun next week! And yes, stock up on those provisions!!!

i was wondering who the live lady was too. LA is so funny about wetness. it's rain people! it makes me laugh (all the way from wet, wet, wet seattle).

I'm laughing so hard at this post...

I totally agree with you on Britney. The news this morning in Boston was showing the results in Iowa when all of a sudden they had a BREAKING NEWS flash that was about Britney being taken away in an ambulance from her home in Los Angeles. I couldn't believe they were stopping real news for this. Ridonculous.

Dude - I have not yet seen one drop of rain like substance. I am BRACED for rain. I am stockpiled. I have flashlights and extra blankets (as our city officials actually told us to stock up on)! When, oh when, will it rain?

I thought of you first thing when I heard of all that horrible rain coming your way :-). I have an even better Britney story. I was at the hosptial for some testing and while I was in the waiting room the "news" came on the TV, people stopped, yes even doctors walking down the hall, to stop and watch the "breaking news" OMG people your in a hospital with sick people does Britney really out rank them at this point.

Does one buy extra water when it's going to rain? Good luck with the weather!

FAITH!!! I about fell over laughing my ass off when I heard the newscaster say to "stock up on blankets." I was like... whoa. It may dip under 55 degrees! MUST GET BLANKETS.

Seriously...I know. I'm a native - 3rd generation. So I have actually been through some serious flooding here. Never have I been asked to stock up on flashlights and blankets.

They are just out of their minds (and clearly out of news).

Rain? Is that a problem? To me, it's just an excuse to stay in and knit. Once I lock the children in the basement so that they don't bother me...

Laurie, I have a serious question.

Having purchased, from Target, one of the cardboard scratchers you recommended, I have to say, my cats love it to pieces. It's literally been shredded already! How do you keep yours in such top condition?

And Happy New Year!

It's wet up here in SJ! It is PersISting down! And windy! I am not going out today 8-) And the Weather Channel is So Excited about it too!

Isn't that Blair from Facts of Life? Wasn't she mentioned recently for speaking out about Britney or something?

Mary, I am so glad your cats love it!!! Ours is shredded too. I'll have to replace it soon.

what about slingshots?!?!?!

I thought of you first thing this morning when they said it would rain in California. Thanks for the update and be sure you put the cats in those little arm floatys that kids use in pools. I know they will appreciate it! stay dry.

It's awfully convenient that Brittany always seems to do something STUPID and "so" newsworthy right after another major event.

And people say the girl is brain-dead. HA!

By the way, Happy New Year, Laurie!

Yikes! Yes! Storm Watch! I've battened down the hatches and stocked up on provisions also, but forgot the damn wine! Send some over!

OMG, a rain event, a Britney event, the HORROR ... run for your useless lives!!! Stupid humans.

happy 2008! I realized today that I've been reading your blog since before my Southeast Asia trip -- which was in 2005!! Holy Smokes!

We are actually getting the BIG storm here in the state of Northern California. I'm on the 22nd floor and the building is creaking and squeaking. I wonder if I can get the afternoon off for "mental health" since the building appears to be moments from collapsing!

I can't believe I'm actually worried about "The Brit" I would love to have a long talk with that child because she need a good talking to or maybe she needs to be grounded. Sad, just sad.

I was in SoCal visiting the fam over the holidays, and they had breathless weather coverage about how it was SO! COLD! because it was dipping into the 30s and 40s, and "oh my! what about all those poor people trying to watch the Rose Parade?! What will they DO?!" and "Learn how people are dealing with the cold!"

Meanwhile my friends at home in Denver got some 10 inches of snow on christmas day and their high temps were lower than the CA highs! Cracked me right up. That said, I'll take Colo. weather over fires and mudslides any day.

"Who is that lady? And why is she so... LIVE? hee."

She's the first thing that I noticed too. Plus, if she looked in the mirror, her forehead would say "EVIL"!!! haha.

It is pouring up here in the Bay Area...my employee called and said she tried to drive in to work and couldn't make it. Because of the RAIN. Sweet Jeebus.

The news here is crazy with the "get out your sandbags" and "batten down the hatches" kind of panic I used to get in NC during hurricane season. It's just rain, people!

If they cared about delivering the news they would tell us how Britney will cope with the storm.

OK - it is starting to get very dark outside.

That is your Los Angeles StormWatch 2008 update for 10:55 a.m.

Signing off. I am, Faith.

Faith, it's looking spooky here from my perch in downtown. I hope I survive the partly cloudy.
--laurie

Good Grief, happened to turn on the lunch time news here in Atlanta and all I heard about was Calif. Storm of the Century. You'd think it was going to mudslide all the way over here.

Live - from the top of the hour from the 10th floor above Pico and Roxbury in Century City, it is starting to rain. Windshield wipers are on and massive amounts of honking have begun. I can barely see downtown because of the low cloud cover.

Back with updates shortly.

I'm in Santa Cruz, it is indeed raining sideways, things (roofing tiles?) are flying off people's roofs and my house is shaking. It's not the rain, it's the wind.

I'm in Santa Cruz, it is indeed raining sideways, things (roofing tiles?) are flying off people's roofs and my house is shaking. It's not the rain, it's the wind.

I did hear in Ohio about the storm of the century in California, but I thought it was just the ten FEET of snow in the mountains that had everyone considering it to be big news.

Just want to report that I visited one of the few local yarn stores in Columbus today for the first time in about three years. Bought lots of good stuff for a very long scarf. I am inspired by your blog to revisit knitting...thanks for that!

we got 10 inches of snow on New Years Eve. Would California have to shut down?
I hope you survive the mass sprinkling and whatnot.
Your idea of making Britney travel with you is perfect. It could work for any candidate. Maybe as community service or something.

Here in the UK they've been warning us about the BIG CHILL since Wednesday. They suggested people avoid unnecessary trips out of the house, but if you do have to leave be sure you take extra clothing, food, and a blanket in case you get stuck because they are expecting UP TO FOUR CENTIMETRES of snow in some places. In case you aren't good at the conversion, that's less than 2". But then this a country that cancels trains when the wrong kind of leaves are on the tracks.

I do believe Emily is right and that is Lisa Whelchel a/k/a Blair from "Facts of Life". I knew she looked familiar! She wrote a book called "Creative Correction" about disciplining your kids. I think she just might be the right person to put in charge of Bratty Brit and get her in line. She's been there, done that whole young celebrity thing herself.

You know that saying that we always fight the previous war, or something like? I find that's always the case with LA and STORMWATCH '0whatever.

Since that year when the hills literally collapsed in my mom's East LA neck of the woods, everyone is suspicious about that water-falling-out-of-the-sky thing. I mean, they're predicting 5"s! That may as well equal the 56billion gallons we had up here in Seattle, um what a few weeks ago? And if it happens?!? WHAT.A.SHOW! (It is LA after all.)

Good luck!

As a New Englander, I find the idea of the rain Storm Watch to be kinda funny. I know that rain can be horrible and destructive and cause floods and all, but when you can't see out your patio slider because there is so much snow plowed up and it's literally 2F outside (with a "real feel" of -14F!) it just seems funny to be worrying about rain.
Then again, our weather is so whacked that after a couple weeks of the snowiest December on record and temperatures so cold that you wonder if you are actually feeling the fluid in your eyeballs start to crystallize, we are now being told it will be 50F by the end of the weekend.

Ah, New England. :)

Well Britney had to do SOMETHING to grab the attention away from her knocked-up little sis!

I will watch the Toronto news tonight to see if there is anything on about your "storm".

Better tie the corkscrew to your belt, just in case. LOL

Newscaster Lady must have had a really, really, really wild New Year's Eve if someone had to paste a "LIVE" sticker on her forehead. And it's still there.

I have a conspiracy theory about the whole Britney media thing. I think that Mitt Romney's campaign people paid Britney to have a melt down to divert our attention away from the Iowa Caucus results. Just saying...

I saw that LIVE on her forehead while reading the text above the picture and thought, "Wow, breaking news about a live blond lady in LA! Is it breaking news because she's a true blond?"

We've had heavy rains for the past three days here in So. France. It's the real deal with high winds and all. I suspect there's a flooded vineyard or two somewhere not too far away. That'd be the breaking news around here.

Ooh, and if you see any breaking news about Brittany soaked like a wet rat on Rodeo Dr., do keep us posted.

Line from a BBC report about the latest Britney news:

"The soap opera that is Britney Spears has taken a troubling turn."

I have to say that's quite an accomplishment. I've heard of people's lives been referred to as a soap opera but never the person themselves. Not bad for a short life's work.

Reporting live from Stanford University in Palo Alto, Northern Cal at 11.48 am -- we have rain! we have wind! we have people posted at the windows reporting on the leaves blowing -- we are all afraid to leave the building for lunch. Rain is leaking in at the windowsills! We might run out of paper towels! Should we try to go home now? Will it get worse if we wait? We are afraid, very afraid -- except for that annoying canadian down the hall...

I'm in the Bay Area and it's pouring like crazy here! I actually work in a hospital building, and currently, most of our power is out... yes, most of. My computer has restarted, and the emergency lights are on, but other than that, it's dark, cold, and kind of creepy.

I feel bad for any reporter who has to report anything on Britney, especially when it's "breaking news." My theory is that each time they have to give a story on her, or any of the other girls, they die a little inside.

You better get over to the Home Depot and get some supplies for ark building.

Oakland/Berkeley is crazy wet right now. Street lights out, rain gutters full, and a leak in my apartment. Got dripped on whilst brushing my teeth this morning.

Be careful out there, Californians.

hey, emily in ohio, which one did you go to? Knitter Mercantile (easily the best, IMNSHO)? Temptations? (a little high-priced, but still has nice stuff. Can be a little snarky)? The Yarn Shop (lots of nice acrylic to support the arlingtonians knitting for bambinos. Can also be a little snarky)?

I live in Clintonville, so inquiring minds want to know.*grin*
Phyllis

Hi Bri!

Here in Hollywood it is now raining, not sideways, but I did need to use my cute umbrella to walk to a meeting in another building.

Nice to see a note from someone in Santa Cruz (the area I grew up in!). Now there's a place that gets serious storms somewhat frequently. Between the storm surges on the ocean side and the mountain deciding to come down on Highway 17 and Highway 9... one must be prepared. :-)

Happy rainy day to all!

I'm near Sacramento and someone told me their kid was flying in here and got diverted to Vegas because there is no power at the Sac. airport. The wind chewed up my umbrella this morning, two steps from the car and I had a looooong cold, wet walk to the office. (Thank heavens it's jeans day!) Almost everyone I know from the bay to the mountains has lost power for part of the day. Just glad it's rain and not snow!

Well, there are trees falling on houses in the Sacramento area because of the rain saturating the ground and high winds, so I'd say that's something to worry about. A small plane was flipped over at Executive Airport. Big rigs are lying on their sides on the freeway. I have no idea what it's like in the rest of the state, but if you live around here, I think it would be a good idea to stay off the roads unless absolutely necessary and away from any parts of your house that might be in danger of getting up close and personal with a falling tree.

Hi Marilyn!!

Ha!

Loved the P.S. It says it all!!

We are hunkerin' down for the storm because we actually do have flash floods in our area when there's much rain, and, well, they're predicting up to a foot of rain for the mountains near us. A foot. Of rain, not snow. Oh, and winds. Fortunately we do not live too near a burn area, and our geography is such that we don't have to worry about being totally cut off.

So we are hoping for a fizzle like happened last time, but hunkerin' just in case.

More importantly, when is your upcoming reading? I know you mentioned one coming up kinda soon when you were doing your contest, but I am apparently dim and did not write it down. I don't see it on your tour page, but, what with being dim and all, I may have missed it. Help?

Hey Hunkerin' Down... hope things don't get too crazy. We all make fun of the non-rain here in LA, but one thing is for sure, when we do get serious rain, it's, well, serious. I remember the floods of 95 and 97 and moved here from up North the year before we had 38" of rain. We had serious damages up in our hillsides, we were fine, but many people in the area lost decks/pools and even a few lost their homes and property. I remember looking very closely at our home insurance policy after that. Water damage has the most confusing language and I finally determined that you better pray for a State or Federal emergency to come into affect if you want to get any real coverage for severe damage.

Umbrellas are for sissies. Up here in the great white north of Orygun we have a saying. "If we didn't go out in the rain, we wouldn't go out at all." Or is it ?"We're pre-shrunk so a little water won't hurt us.

Our TV coverage up here is given to hysterics over the wind. Rain - eh no big deal - but wind.... DEFCON 5 alert! Every once in awhile they get one that is worth the hoopla. Last December there were hurricane force winds at the coast. Us flatlanders had to console ourselves with 50MPH gusts. Darn near blew us off the map.

I'll make fun of the rain hysteria in CA along with anyone else, but up here in the Bay Area it's pretty serious today - 70mph winds, coastal flooding, power lines and trees down, scaffolding flying off downtown buildings, the Richmond-San Rafael bridge shut down because waves are lapping up over the eastbound approach. I enjoy rain. Freakin' STORMS are another matter! :)

ha - I have decided that since Dorothy was from Kansas, and Oz is somewhere far from there, perhaps Oz is actually somewhere in california.

And then you have the wicked witch and the melting in the water, and HENCE all Los Angelians must be related to the Wicket Witch of the West

or at least her flying monkeys?

Just be glad there arent any Tornado's forcasted along with all that rain you are getting. Here in Sw Mo we have been having highs in the upper 20's low 30's with single digit to teen lows and like in New England we are sposed to be in the 60's this weekend. Come on folks is it winter or not!

Even with just a light smatter of moisture all of Los Angeles is brought to it's knees. We've stocked up on Popcorn, Red Wine and Duraflame logs....maybe I should make some chili or somthing for dinner that I can streach for the few days we'll be house ridden on account of the .00004 inches of rain. It's not the rain it's that people panic and can't figure out how to drive in it that scares me...no freeway trips this weekend I guess...and no SWAP MEET!

Hey West in SF... sounds nuts... I remember storms like that when I lived up there... Actually, I kind of miss them. Have they shut down the San Mateo bridge yet?

Hope you're somewhere dry and warm, drinking some good coffee or wine and knitting or reading. That's what I wish I were doing right now. :-)

I wish I was too! Instead I'm at work, hoping that each time the lights flicker they'll actually go out and we can go home. :)

I haven't heard anything about the San Mateo bridge yet; the ferries and GG Transit buses aren't running.

It's raining in Santa Barbara! Well, sort of sprinkling.

I am telling you, I am on the edge of my seat here, what with the UMBRELLAS. Holy cow.

I just feel sorrier and sorrier for Ms Spears, the media is going to hound that woman to an early grave. She is confused and young and probably has post partum depression and just needs to be left the hell alone.

To Phyllis: It was The Yarn Shop! I assure you I am not an Arlingtonian in need of acrylic - that's just the only shop I know about since I am returning after a hiatus. I, too, live in Clintonville but work at OSU - I will promptly look up these other stores you mention. There was no snark today, thankfully - maybe because I'm on the mailing list.

Love waiting for the lights to go out for good, especially on a Friday. I'm sure all water traffic (except for the big guys) is pretty much shut down... I just read that we are expecting 15' waves down here, so can only imagine what it will be like up there.

Maybe once the storm passes through you can go down to the Mavricks and watch the surfers (who are sure to be out there if the swells keep up afterwards) who are a bit nuts, but really amazing to watch on the 40-50' waves out there.

Storm update: still hunkerin'. No rain here yet, just wind.

One of the side effects of normally having nice weather is that people routinely build roads and homes in places which are prone to flooding and sliding. Builders put entire neighborhoods on alluvial fans (picture a pile of soft dirt at the base of a canyon and remember that canyons are quite good at funneling water), and then residents are surprised when the ground under homes and roads washes away, or a flood comes through their neighborhood with big rocks in it, or part of the hill above their home oozes or crashes down on top of said home.

So, yeah, it's tempting to chuckle at the idea of sprinkles being treated as catastrophic, but for people in/below mountains, or the burn areas, this has the potential to be deadly.

I'm really really glad I can stay at home and be safe. For a bunch of people that won't be an option this weekend.

OK - So it seems to be back to sprinkling after a period of clear. So before the "downpour" I'm going to go home early to avoid the hideous rain traffic (and I'm serious here) and go watch the doppler 9000 stormtrackwatchorama!!!!

Wooooo!

StormWatch 2008 field report from Oakland/Alameda--weather is all relative baby. I LOVE rainy & stormy weather. Sideways rain hitting the window woke me up this morning and I smiled. I'm a transplant from hurricane country but will let you know that what we've got in the SF Bay area right now is pretty significant for HERE. My work day is sucked up with taking homeowners claims due to the wind and auto because here people seem to think it's good to drive faster in the rain (to get out of it sooner? Oy). And one of the bridges was closed this morning because MORE THAN ONE big rig was BLOWN OVER. No matter how eye-rolling-inducing hysterical the locals get about rain I consider THAT scary.

Laurie, hope you and Drew have a faboo time!

Here in Cleveland, we are waiting for our 6" of New Year's Day precip to melt over the weekend. Have a wonderful time with Drew-remind him about his brother's birthday. Maybe he'll drop some hints about his latest projects if you ply him with wine.

If the torrential mist continues, will Britney's wig get the frizzies or fall flat? I say it will frizz, my cat continues to assert that it will be flat. Only time will tell...

Well, laughter IS the best medicine. Hope everyone is safe, warm and dry! :-)

It warms my heart to see/hear others, especially those outside my profession, say things like "flood basin." Love it. Carry on.

LOLOL!!
One of your funniest posts. IMO.
Or it could be I've had such a lame day that it struck me as terribly funny. Whatever....it made me laugh.

I saw reports about the "weather" in LA on the national news this morning and actually thought "I wonder if Laurie is surviving horrid traffic with "weather". I thought this because you are the one and only person I "know" in LA---that word is used very loosely, you know, since all I know of you is on this blog. *lame, I'm telling, lame*

Oh, one more thing. My daughter bought the cat the cardboard scratcher. My cat loves it. She will lay on it for hours. The dog likes it too, but can't fit. :) Thanks for the recommendation.

Reporting in from Santa Maria:

The wind is about to take the roof off of our otherwise flimsy, yet abundantly hardware-filled building.

SAVE YOURSELVES IF YOU CAN!

(In other words: I'm off to the mall).

A guy I worked with used to be a weather man. He calls what happens when there is a weather event a "forecasm"!

Maybe we should have an afghan knit-a-thon for the poor, wet Californians! We had an ice storm here a couple of weeks ago and our newscasters never even mentioned stocking up on blankets- just flashlights and ice melt.

It does look like there will be plenty of raindrops and bad wind so batten down the hatches, Laurie. The best thing you could probably stock up on is kitty litter- bet the newscasters didn't think to announce that one.

Your Britney presidential candidate team-up strategy is brillant. I wonder if we sent them all a proposal which one would go for it :)

The power went out right after I posted. Why? Because a huge f*ing tree went down on my block, taking transformers with it. Pictures are on my blog and the power is back on.

Attention Laurie and Faith....I'm near Pico and Fairfax, midway between your locations. I just spotted a drenched flying monkey winging south toward Culver City. The sprinkling and sometimes actual dropping of rain has officially begun in Los Angeles. Time to sit by the warm TV, watch a movie and knit! Have a great weekend, Goils! Give my best to Drewski!

A few drops of rain and everyone gets premonitions of our impending doom.

I can imagine the effect of a freak snow storm on our collective psyche.

I love it so much when you give the inclement weather updates from LA! I too am a Southern girl who found herself living and working in LA, crazy place that it is. Has it snowed there since you've lived there??? When I first moved to Cali, I commuted from Corona into downtown LA everyday and it once flurried on my commute. People were pulling over to the side of the freeway, terrified of the demon weather!!! I'm in GA now, and love how when it gets cold (like, below 40 degrees F)everyone dresses like a re-run of Northern Exposure. BTW, I really enjoy your blog. Thanks for doing it!

If you go hang out at Cedars light a candle for me will ya? :) Craziness!!!

I'll keep you updated on the storm as it moves here to Colorado. The mountains are expecting up to 3 ft of snow from the storm... now that's something to talk about!

Great post Laurie! I can totally relate. I lived NW of Syracuse, NY for several years - its snows 150+ inches a year. I'm in CT now, where we get a couple of feet a year. Yet every time a few inches of snow is in the forecast, everyone panicks and they NAME the storms. Huge drama because snow is sticking to the ground! Crazy news people! Thanks for helping keep it all in perspective!

Sometimes you HAVE to make jokes that might look inappropriate to other people because if you can't laugh, you'll just lose your mind. (I am reminded of the time I was joking with an equally underpaid colleague about our death and dismemberment insurance policy at work -- she kept wiggling her little finger at me and going, "LOSE A FINGER, GET A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS! IT'S JUST ONE FINGER!")

It's 5pm in the OC and we are still waiting for the "storm of the century". Although I'm a native I find our reaction very amusing. Sprinkles cause hysterics and news casts almost solely dedicated to them (at least when Brittany and Paris give us a break). Spent 4 years up on the North Coast where they have real rain and loved it. When we first heard them predict 20% chance of sunshine we thought they were joking. No - they were quite serious. That said I have lots of knitting and plan to just hang out this weekend with my kittens enjoying what I hope is a lot of rain!

In-N-Out burger! Yum! I have the t-shirt!

Another report from the OC. My husband was watching the Nightly Business Report, or trying, when the TV gave out a horrible screech and an alarm sounded. The Natl Weather folk have issued a flash flood watch. Bring in the firewood and the livestock (cat).
Interesting that the celeb news is big all over the country. I wondered if it was only in LA, where entertainment is, after all, a major industry, or if the rest of the country has this stuff take over their news, too.

Update: It is now misting here. Heavily. We are crossing our fingers and working on offerings to the Flying Spaghetti Monster, in the hope that He will extend His Noodly Appendage over us in protection.

The funniest thing about this while developing story, (and it's all funny, girl), is the reporter standing outside, reporting on the "weather". That just slays me. You know he's some guy who grew up in Minnesota and is thinking, "I went to journalism school for this?"

Hi Laurie

Do people really get that freaked out about a little rain? I mean, I understand torrential downpours, but a litte rain?? These folks need to experiance a Canadian winter....

Gotta say, I love looking out your windows. I saw Green Grass! in January! on a Roof! And a road with 6 lanes for going one direction!.... should get to the Big City more often, I guess. Good luck with the rain.

Hee hee, "weather". Stay dry from the sprinklings!! Up here in the bay area we had HURRICANE FORCE WEATHER. Ok, slightly less that hurricane force (and I've lived through hurricanes on the EC, so believe me, I know), but it was pretty damn impressive, what with the trucks tipping over on the freeways and the Richmond-San Rafael bridge closed in both directions and I-80 closed over the Sierra because of the blizzard conditions (I do believe they are serious too - remember the Donner Party?) and 101 sliding into the ocean (or there was a mud slide ONto 101 - something like that). Thank GOD the next storm, due to arrive Saturday night, is ONLY forecast to dump 2 inches. Woo hoo!

PS Make Drew take a SuperShuttle from the airport. Good friends is one thing but taking your life into your own hands is quite another.

PLEASE stop with the references to In N Out. It's torture for those of us who've actually experienced the wonderfulness that is In N Out. No other burger joint can compare. Short of actually opening a franchise in Virginia, I can only try to forget the memories of biting into a double double with grilled onions. Oh great, now I'm drooling. See what you started?

Enjoy your rain. Maybe it'll be harder to get to In N Out. And that would serve y'all right for torturing those less burger-blessed than you. Hmmph!

This is such fun! Laurie, this is your Bubbeh speaking: get one of those little plastic hoods to proect your hairdo, put on your galoshes and keep your sandwiches wrapped in waxed paper. Also - put some grains of rice in all your salt shakers FIRST THING! Now we, WE (here in WI) get some Weather. Finally this year we're having a Normal Human Winter (close to 40" of snow), although (as others have noted) it's forecast to be warmish this weekend (up to 40). If I thought it would work I'd shovel our snow into the freezer to protect it, but we're promised some new stuff to fill in what we lose over the weekend. On the OTHER hand...I'm going to take advantage of the (UN)welcome thaw to root around and see if my Missing Billfold could be next to the path somehow.... {If you're reading this, Billfold, and I know you might be -- all is forgiven, come HOME!} (Incidentally, after reading your comments and all those above, I am SO going over to Target tomorrow for one of those crunchy cardboard cat thingies!) PS Hi, Faith! :o)

OK. My update on the StormWatch.

I got into work today in SF after driving through lots of rain and wind and tree limbs on the street. I logged onto my computer and 2 minutes later the power went out -- for 5 hours. And this meant that the phone system was also down.

I had gotten in a little earlier than usual today because I knew that we would be slammed. I work for a company that does commercial construction. And when there's bad weather? The phones usually ring off the hook. So I took a little initiative and pulled files to call some of our larger clients on my work-issued cellphone. By the time the power came back, they had called in enough work for both today and tomorrow. And then the power was back and my desk phone was ringing off the hook. When I took 15 minutes to inhale my lunch, I received 8 phone calls. And I may have to work tomorrow as well.

I think most folks' concept of California is the southern part of the state. Up here we are used to the possibility of floods and mudslides and whatnot when winter comes. But today had wind gusts of up to 70 mph. And so bridges and highways were closed after semis flipped and there were other accidents.

Oh, and all routes over the Sierra are closed because they are experiencing 90 mph gusts up there. I know this because I work at a job in which we look to the Weather Channel online several times a day.

Hi to all from the frozen Northeast. I don't know about your rains but 55 degrees is sweater weather here in Vermont. In fact, it's sunbathing weather. Right now it's cold enough outside to freeze your parsnips: -15F. Oh, yuh, and nearing 50" of snow. So if any of you guys want some prime skiing, great beer, and maple syrup on those apple pancakes you let me know.

What is it with the weather people lately? Big storm coming, winter storm warning, yadda, yadda, yadda...a couple of inches of snow is not a storm. It's just snow. I live in western New York, land of the gray skies and much precipitation...half the year it's frozen, the other half, it's not.

That being said, just stay alert and enjoy your visit. By the way way, your book was on top of a book display at Borders.

the lights in my OC home have been flickering off and on most of the night. i hear lots of people have lost power. i've got candles in the ready....and a potential 'date' tomorrow night, so this 'storm' better scram so i can get a 'kiss'.

will keep you posted on rain, lights and kiss.
mck.

I'm going to have to say that the storm was pretty bad up here in northern CA. (I'm a little north of Sacramento) My power was out for at least 7 hours (probably longer, I just noticed it when something woke me up at 7 am and it was out until just after 2).

Houses destroyed, big rigs tipped over, trees uprooted, blizzard in the mountains. Of course I was just listening to the radio and watching out my window for most of it. Tomorrow I'll go see what the neighborhood and town looks like here.

Have they told you to "hunker down" yet? That's what we do during hurricanes here in Fla.

Stay safe!

Laurie--I am mailing you three kitten life preservers for the babies. Also, I heartily second Faith's suggestion that you join the vigil at Cedars. If I were on the left coast, I would DEFINITELY be there. I might even try to get admitted to get an inside peak. Cuz I'm that big a fan. lol

I'm up on the Central Coast, and it rained ALL DAY yesterday (Friday). I didn't know it was supposed to be some major storm, though, until some people I was out with last night mentioned it. Crazy! And here I thought it was just another rainy day!

You'd think, though, that in an area where it rains half the year, the drainage would be better.

We are all in a tizzy up here too. It's only -4*C in January! It should be -40*C. The end is nigh.

Since that weather is heading East [my way] we got all stocked up on booze; a box of fine Zinfindel, a half gallon of Vodka and Sprite to go with it, a case of beer... there's rum here, along with some peppermint schnapps and there's orange-pineapple juice and plenty of ice.

Yup. Bring it on. We're ready.

Oh yeah. We got food, too.
.

Hi, Laurie. I hope your friend makes it here without a hitch. I read this post on my phone last night while stuck on the tarmac at LAX for two and half hours in our arriving plane -- all because of the chaos that a little rain brings to LA. It made me laugh, a little. It was freezing in New York when we left JFK, but there were no problems. There were storm winds over the Midwest, but we flew over them without a delay. It wasn't until we arrived at LAX that -- oh my God, call the Feds -- it is raining!

I had a roommate in college, at LSU in the '70s, who was from SoCal. Watching her reaction to rain was an event I could have sold tickets to.

She (observing me donning a raincoat while raindrops gently trickled down the dorm window):
"You're going to class in THIS weather?"

Me: "Around here, we have to go to class when it rains."

She: "But isn't it DANGEROUS, going around in the rain?"

I miss her. :)

Hope you are well-stocked on wine and cat food! herabouts in Louisiana we are swinging between 22 and 65 degrees, and I'm wondering why I'm sick?

Thank you for the laugh! Having grown up in LA County, I remember what you are writing about. Yes, it can get serious. But now living in the most northwest corner of California (where we average over 80" of rain per year, plus storms that recently hit 80 mph winds), it is difficult to get worked up over a few sprinkles (though with those oil-slick streets that never get a good washing, it IS dangerous).

I just got back from a trip to LA, and I so totally get that amazing fear of rain. He-he!

Hey Laurie,
I just spent the day reading your book!!!!!! I loved it!!!! Thanks for sharing your story and love of knitting! Very many good life lessons were learned and I love the knitted cat tunnel!!!!

LMAO here in Belgium--Slogan Bring your umbrella and leave your sunglasses at home.

Thank you *so* much for the laugh. I really needed it!

Did you SURVIVE the weather disaster????? Here's hoping you had plenty of warm blankets :)

Cleary, your weather people have moved to California from Philadelphia where we get full news coverage of each and every flake that may or may not fall in the WINTER OMG. The lead news story is Always about snow if there is any potential of precipitation. And the news story drives everyone to the local grocery stores to stock up on bread, milk and eggs contributing to what we call...."french toast weather."

Rain, schmain. You'd better not come to Boston in the winter, lest I throw an iceball at you. In fourth grade I learned about Henry VIII's wives and long division, and also that iceballs really hurt.

(I know, really, floods are Bad Things. But you do not have to shovel them.)

The hell?!?!
Won't someone puh-leeze slap some sense into that damn Britney Spears? What is wrong with her AND her mother AND her sister? Weren't they raised proper in Louisiana? Showing your va-jay-jay, shaving your own self bald-headed and thinking that you can excuse all your stupid tricks because you were drunk? Oh how tasteless and what bad manners!!!

What would y'all have done if that was your daughter? Wouldn't your mom have simply killed you with one look if you dared do just one of those things? Lordy...

Quit feeding the beast and don't even point your camera at her anymore... Please, really...

i love the constant vigilence against the rain in LA. we are getting rain here in Michigan tomorrow and we are happy about it (because its not snow! or sleet! or FREEZING rain!) its been in the 50's (GASP!) for two days now and its being called the January thaw! (there is no official thawing in the first week of January, mother nature is just giving some of us a break on our gas bills)

Is Al Roker there yet reporting outside in yellow raingear and trying to brave the torrents of mist? One can only hope I guess.
Gotta run--I heard there was breaking news about Britney stubbing her toe.

Love, love your wonderful sense of humor~
Cathy

I wish I could post the picture I took of the damage we sustained. Our white plastic patio chair flipped over!!!!

"So I make my jokes. It is what I do."

And that is precisely why the world needs you.

That was the worst storm EVER. Everytime the rain was supposed to be on, I was sleeping. So lame.

Also when the Brit news broke I saw that lady standing behind Nichelle Turner and I thought she was just being an a-hole but I guess she was from US Weekly or something like that... giving needed information? but I saw it at 6:30 and she was standing in the dark.

mck's update:
my garage flooded.
my date was awesome-ish.

p.s. don't you have a knitting event coming up? tell the date and details, again, please? one of my new year's resolutions is to learn how to knit a scarf.

Purly-Girlie, you killl me. Seriously. I snickered much more than once.
We are having a January thaw that should ened in a day or two. Its 8 degrees Celcius and the ice patch we were cultivating in the back yard for our kids to skate/falldown on is taking a whomping from the warmth and rain. Mucho rain. But the snow is getting less deep and I can see my driveway bricks again so thats ok.
The LA panic over rain cracks me up but I guess every region has its weather issues. Newspapers here are re-living the "Ice Storm of '98" with retrospective articles. Yeesh...like living through it once wasn't enough!!

o.k., so I've been giving some serious thought to Britney and her continuing saga of melting down in the public eye. Here's wait she should do.
Forget about Dr. Phil (bogus psych boob that he is!) I think YOU can help this girl. You're close enough to her age that you could mentor her as a big sister type and steer her towards KNITTING!!!!
Of course this is the more appropriate therapeutic step for her to take-secretly it is the #13 Step of AA/NA that no one talks about-kind of like a Masonic-Freemason thingie.
Anyway, you're a shining example of how knitting helps maintain sanity post breakup that could guide Brit back from the hell hole of life she's let herself fall into. Teach her. Humanity will be ever so grateful to no longer be bombarded with the lastest tragedy in her life. Might help her get her kids back if she knits some cute outfits for them!

Think it over.
Might be a Nobel Peace Prize in it for you!

Um, hello... did you survive the Storm of 2008?

Did you survive and was Drew there to save you? And the cats?

hellllooooo....Have you cleaned up from the storm? Everything ok? Should we send wine???

Starting to worry about you...haven't heard a peep since the The Big Rain. You ok???

Did you get washed off the face of the earth!!! Yoo Hoo!

Everything ok????

We miss you!

Are you OK? Radio silence triggers worrying....

We can only hope you're finishing up your next book, and will announce it when you return!!!!!

welll...the cats didn't have to learn to swim did they? 'Cause I'm thinking Sobakawa will have NONE of that..I'm afraid I have this image of you paddling a boat made of empty wine bottles and cat food cans with the great soba perchaed upon your head.. hissing and spitting at the others while you try to find dry ground....

Are you there??? We miss you & are worried!!!

Used to live in LA, live in Vegas now, which has even less weather than LA! You should hear how excited they get over a + or - 2 degree change in temp! I think every weatherperson secretly wants to report a hurricane or blizzard, and if they can't, they bring all that emotion to a high of 114 degrees instead of yesterday's 113. Oh, well, c'est la vie!

I'm hoping that you're up to your eyes in hot guys and cash right now, because it's been awhile since your last post...and there was actual weather...

Good thoughts your way just in case!! Should we send wine?

Oh CrazyAuntPurl! You know the way to Bossy's heart is through your local weatherman!