can you say "remembrance, hope & gratitude"?

ok, so my last post was me complaining about the rainy season here. & yesterday it had been 5 years since hurricane katrina had hit. i remember that day & the days that followed...... living right on the gulf during this time of year is always unsettling (ivan hit us hard & destroyed a lot in 2004), but watching what new orleans suffered through was so disheartening. we were fine when katrina hit, just loss of power for a while, but it was horrible to see the destruction & devastation that occurred. but there is hope now with ongoing rebuilding efforts & as we continue to hear stories of survival & perseverance.

and the victims of the floods in pakistan. so sad to see all the destruction & suffering occurring in their country.

so i hope & pray for the victims of these natural disasters. & i feel gratitude that here in guam we were safe the day i blogged about the rain.

can you say "rainy season"?

so this tropical little island in the middle of nowhere has only 2 seasons.... rainy & dry. & i didn't think much of it as we entered the rainy season this year & enjoyed a smattering of little showers here & there. i was thinking, "man, this isn't that bad. it rains a little bit for a few minutes & then back to sunshine".... well, then came this week. with rains that lasted on & off all day. & finding myself being poured on not once, but twice this week, running from store to car. but then yesterday as i was driving back from yoga i got to see the ugly side of these rains. i go to yoga down at the navy base, which is not very far away (considering the whole island is like 30 miles long - with us at the top & navy in the middle) but it's about a 40 minute drive one way.

anyway, so it was raining, a lot, when i left navy & knew it would take longer than the 40 minute drive considering the rains were so bad. but i was not prepared for the roads to turn into muddy rivers. really. the water was up to the top of cars tires. it was pretty scary. & the times when you could see the pavement it looked like a coconut mass murder horror scene with coconuts shattered all over the place. the power was out & there were a few cops out directing our hybrid land/ water vehicles where to drive.

but thankfully i made it out alive & didn't float away & as i get back closer to the top of the island, it looks like there hadn't even been a drop of rain all day. sunny & dry & the total opposite of what i just drove through.

only on guam. wish i had a camera with me yesterday...... rivers for roads, muddy waterfalls down the side of the mountains, coconut crime scenes...... i have a feeling that wasn't the one & only time.....

rain on my parade

not that i'm having a parade.

anyway, today in guam it's a monsoon of rain & wind & not sure why (but always seems to be) when you least want or need it to rain it will. so here comes my vent..... we have a leaky valve stem on our tire & for the record, no big deal, but this is our 3rd tire issue in like 3 weeks. last week it was a nail in the tire & before that a leaky stem on another one of the tires. we managed to temporarily fix it with duck tape. thank goodness for duck tape (but could do without the 4 inches of rain in the road) & the car place can get me in at 1:30 today, so that's a relief.

next on the list.....

i hate admitting this but maybe instead of thinking i'm stupid some of you might actually pity me (probably for being stupid). but i lost my wedding ring this weekend. yep, horrible. i set it in my lap in the car to put lotion on (i do this all the time- everyday for the past 4 years) & when i forgot to put it back on my finger & got out of the car it went to the place where all lost things go. i didn't realize it was missing for a bit & i was hoping it was at home, but just in case searched all around the parked car. & nope it wasn't at home, wasn't in the parking lot (which is grass & gravel- you wouldn't expect it to be easy right) & wasn't in the car. i cried for at least 2 hours that night. & went back to the grass & gravel parking lot a day later & searched for 45 minutes.

and finally, we have our tax appointment today. most people are excited to turn in their taxes & await a nice refund check.... not us. because of my job i work with 1099s, independent employee contracts & taxes are not taken out of my checks. so i pay quarterly & usually end up owing extra (somewhere around $2,500) come april 15. so we'll soon find out how much more i have to pay the irs.

ok, but can't leave on a sour note. even though all these crappy things are happening, i have a few things to be thankful for..... duck tape, still having my engagement ring, & not working a full year last year (less money owed). & the rain. makes for a good cuddle under the blanket on the couch & watch movies afternoon. which is exactly what i'll do after all the appointments are over.