Not a storm, I thought as I looked at the forecast. Anything but a storm! After Harvey, storms bring back some very bad memories for most Houstonians, and we’re all already on pins and needles because of quarantine – as much as some of us try to enjoy the opportunity for peace and self-reflection. So no, I was not looking forward to today’s forecasted storm, but as I waited for it, listening to classical music and working on an abstract painting I started weeks ago, I found myself having quite a lovely time. There’s nothing like classical music to remind you there’s beauty and majesty in dark skies and strong winds, beauty in rain even, and hope that it will wash things clean but not cause flooding. The rain decided, after all, to hold out. Even now, it’s barely drizzling, but the temperature has gone down and outside has that clean scent of dust being cleared away. I ended up liking my abstract painting a lot (you can see some details, then the whole painting below), and having a nice mellow evening. At some point I stepped out to take out the garbage, and there on my back stoop was a box containing my author copies of Storms of Malhado. How fitting that they should arrive just before the storm! And how providential that I found them just before the downpour that could have soaked them.
