What a day! It was hot (88 degrees F. or 31 degree C.) and muggy. Then, just before going home, (and just after I Instant Messaged Jake that I hoped him and Carla would get a chance to take a swim tonight) the clouds rolled in and the National Weather Service issued a Severe Thunderstorm Warning for Wayne, Oakland and Macomb Counties until 6:30 PM.
The wind was amazing, and the few raindrops here were blowing sideways. I took Five Mile Road home to Inkster, rather than get on the expressway. I am not a fan of driving 70 mph (or 113 kph) when all the tall trucks and SUVs are blowing around!
Even so, wrist-sized branches were blowing across the road as I gingerly made my way home. But I got there (10 minutes late) and gratefully pulled into the garage.
I got inside and immediately turned on the radio for the living room and the TV for the bedroom. I am feeling a bit blue today and noise (I have found) is the best antidote for that when you live alone.
I went out on the porch and watered the hanging baskets and the urn (as I mentioned before, these are under the house eaves and do not see the rain at all). I then dead-headed all the "wave" petunias. I love the way they look (I personally think this is my best year since I moved here) but they do require a lot of maintenance.
When I got back inside, I was just in time to hear that the fast-moving storm has left trees down, streets flooded, traffic lights out and more than 50,000 users in the general area without electrical power. The part about flooded streets amazed me, so I went out and checked the rain gauge: I didn't even get 1/8 of an inch of rain, here!
The next story on TV was on the Michigan "One-State" recession. With unemployment at the highest in the nation, GM stock now the lowest than since 1953 (I pity my brother Carl) and today's stock market's dive of over 350 points (the stock market's Dow Jones was at 14,000 a year ago. It's less than 11,500 today) we are really f*cked! So, I have lost almost 20% of my piddley 401K in one year. Add that to home prices having fallen over 20% and new home sales timing being projected at least 18 months before you sell, you not only can't afford to live here, you can't get out! It takes me back to my original retirement plan: Like my Father, I work until I die, and then I retire!
Now I am no longer "blue" and am just out and out bummed! I warmed up the last of the hot dogs and the last two ears of sweet corn for dinner and go watch TV (pure escapism) until I went to bed.
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