Just after dinner this evening the rain began, first gently, then with gusto, which happens seldom here in Spokane, Washington. I’m used to Florida rain storms, growing up in Pensacola, and I remember the droplets always being silver-dollar sized.

After only a few minutes tonight the rain gutters were filled to overflowing and torrents of water began pouring off the roof, causing small floods at low spots in the yard. Out front, in the Cull de sac, it looks like a river flooding. Rain from everywhere seems to be flowing towards us, as we have one of the two drains on the street at our curb side.

My kids and friends know how I love the rain, and especially on dark mornings or when the sun goes down. It’s both restful and restorative, all at the same time. I must pull energy from this. I look out my office window and can hardly take my eyes off the droplets of water, hanging onto each grape vine. I think I could watch it for days, wondering which drops will drop when.

Not only did it sprinkle on and off all day long, but our computers were down as of 10:15 a.m. Hubby came home from work and fixed it all. I really believed he could restore power where it was needed. But since the computer was not a choice for me later this morning, I went to the grocery store, to the plant nursery and the knitting shop. I came home, put groceries away, lugged plants to the front and back yard, planted most of them, then knitted for an hour and took a two-hour nap. If you ask me, it feels like a vacation.

And yet, I rushed to check e-mail and Facebook as soon as the computers were up and running. I think it was the issue of knowing I was not as connected as I like to be. I still had the phone, and the TV, and you’d think that was enough.

At home in Pensacola we had a black rotary-dial phone with a 5-diget phone number, and certainly no cell phones. We played Monopoly or Solitaire, roller skated with side-walk skates, or played Jacks. I never once felt disconnected by not having a computer or a cell phone, and didn’t miss the TV because we didn’t have one until I was 12. I don’t remember ever feeling deprived.

But then, we did have the rain. And lots of it. No wonder I love it so much today. It always makes me feel safe.