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Vanilla steamers and the prospect of rain

It's Friday, and on the way into work I stopped at the Grove for a Vanilla steamer with a shot. Which is really a vanilla latte with only one shot, I'm told. Either way, it's delicious, and I'm glad I treated myself! This week has been a humdinger, as weeks go, and I am most delighted that the end of the business/school week is very, very near.

About the rain, then.

Living in the high desert requires a tolerance for very little moisture - ever - in the form that falls from the sky. We get occasional snow, and even less occasional rain. Usually what we get is extreme, like during our summer monsoon season which fills arroyos and removes topsoil from the base of the mountain all the way down the river valley. Or the bi-annual snow fall of 6-10" that shuts down the city for days.

This lack of moisture makes us lust after raindrops like parched desert wanderers yearn for a cool, clear, drop of water to slake their thirst. Which is why, when we see a weather forecast that includes more than a 5% chance of rain, we get excited.

And if it actually precipitates? There's a huge, collective sigh of welcome for the precious moisture, and we all breathe very deeply of the fresh, cool, wet air.

I like to go for runs in the rain. There's something invigorating about being out on the trail as the raindrops hit the dirt and the desert foliage, releasing that wonderful, earthy combination scent of wet soil and sage. It's heady and delicious.

We've been told there's a 60% chance of rain tomorrow, and are enjoying cloudy skies today...which is rare for us. And if you live somewhere that gets lots of rain and is mostly cloudy? You might not understand how sunny day after sunny day after sunny week after sunny month can get on a girl's nerves.

This girl? Looking forward to at least a cloudy, if not rainy, Saturday. I'm going for a run no matter what, but if I get to do that in a drizzle?

All the better.

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