Over the
past 24 hours or so around here I’ve felt like I was living the last verse of
the Bob Seger song, Night Moves; you know the line that goes,” I woke last night to the sound of thunder", and I woke last
night to the sound of thunder and I woke last night to the sound of thunder; Sensing
a pattern here? “How far off I sat and wondered…” Hell, I didn’t wonder how far
off it was, it was right over my damn house. Living in the desert we don’t
often get thunderstorms that last and last like this one. Thank you Norbert for
this extremely big and extremely wet storm, which gave us the highest rainfall total
in one day since weather records were first kept in 1895 for the Phoenix area.
The morning commute was interesting to say the least. Most of the streets in
the cities around the valley are either 5 or 7 lanes with 2 or 3 lanes each way and a
center suicide lane for left turns. Today most of them were all 3 or less because
there was so much standing water. The storms drains are so not equipped to handle
it and that is partly because they are usually clogged with road debris or palm
fronds and other tree parts that fly around when we have dust storms. Some entire districts cancelled school;
others made it optional or asked students to come in late. I was so glad I didn’t have to be on the road
at rush hour after watching the news this morning. We had a lot of callouts
where I work due to road closures and flooding. The morning here was akin to waking
to a massive snowstorm overnight and the city almost ground to a halt. Some cities weren’t hit as bad, kids went to
school and the world wasn’t coming to an end, it only felt like it.
When it came time for me to brave the
elements I was more concerned about the other people on the road than the rain
itself. I decided to try to get some pics of what was happening on the way in.
Since I solo commute I knew it would be a challenge though I figured I’d at
least get an opportunity when I hit my usual traffic light or two on the way
in. The other part of that equation has to do with my cell phone camera. We
have a hate –hate relationship, I hate it and it hates me back. It will only
take decent pictures outside, forget indoors, even with every light in the room
on they just come out dark. And no I’m won’t be getting a new cellphone my
alarm clock is just fine thank you. I laughed like hell later when I had a chance to see the pics I
managed to take this morning at the traffic lights I was stopped at. Line up the
shot, ready to click and the light turns green and we’re off again, so they didn’t really come out very good,
but I’ll let you decide.
Is it any wonder no one asks me to take pictures since I have a tendency to cut off the tops of peoples heads too?
Here are some links to some better shots of what went on around here this Manic Monday and Google images for Arizona Record rainfall has some real good ones too.
I think they these folks have a better relationship with their camera then I do. I wonder if counseling would help me and my cellphone cam work through our issues?
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