Amanda Finds it Funny

Yesterday, there was a huge (unexpected?) storm at my house. I know that these things pop up all the time in spring, but isn't it funny how it seems like it is the first time it has ever happened? (It snowed! It rained! It hailed! (is that a word? (in the weather sense, not in the "all hail the power of Jesus' name" sense))) Sometimes this all happens on the same day in Ohio! Anyway, I found it funny, as I was driving home in the pouring rain, that one of the local forecasters (to remain unnamed . . .) was on the radio saying, "Tonight the rain tapers off in the early evening. Some showers but no severe weather." Just as he is spewing his lies (ooo, very dramatic!) a hail storm starts. Have you ever been in your car during a hail storm? To someone who cringes (and, yes, sometimes has to plug her ears) when she flushes the toilet, this is very nerve-wracking. It is like a car wash on steroids.

Then, I go inside, take a video (yes, I too am one of those people who marvels at rain like it is the first time I have ever seen it), and go to sleep. I can hardly keep my eyes open. But a half an hour later, I am awakened by tornado sirens.

So, I trudge downstairs to see what's up on the local news. (Like most people in Columbus, sorry Andrew) I turn to channel 10 first to see a graphic about swine flu (sorry, H1N1) frozen on the screen. Then I turn to channel 4 (sorry again, brother) to see a similar graphic frozen on my screen. So, I turn to channel 6 and I hear Carol Luper say the funniest thing, "As you are out driving tonight, try not to splash the people who are walking." A: just how many people are out walking tonight, Carol? B: why would it matter if they were splashed by a passing car in the midst of a torrential downpour? I love Carol Luper (she worked with my dad back in the day and now works with my brother. When I went to college, she offered for me to stay with her in her house anytime I got stranded at Capital.) But, you have to admit, that was a pretty funny thing to say. And, maybe, all of Columbus heard it because the other two stations were down with lightning strikes!