The Monsoon is in the wind

This Monsoon has exceeded all (my) expectations and then some.  It’s so nice to see and hear pouring rain and feel a cooling of the air. 

I often forget about the winds that can come with our summer downpours.  I won’t forget last night’s winds though.  We hustled around the backyard trying to pile everything onto a covered porch as our lounge chair slid across the deck and into the pool.  Then, the “baby” pool, it’s actually my puppies 3’ by 3’ water bowl, went sailing across the yard like a Frisbee. 

During the last big windy monsoon, we had taken the height down on the poles of our temporary sun canopy as it appeared to want to lift off entirely.  We even moved it further towards the house. 

During Wednesday’s storm a line snapped and the canopy began a crazy dance.  We rushed to take off the top and lower the supporting poles again.  Alas, though we almost removed the whole weather resistant (?) top – we couldn’t figure out how to disassemble the whole thing. 

A quick search of the house turned up directions, written in English, but absolutely not understandable – they might as well have been written in Farsi, or French or Gaelic for that matter.  Of course this flurry of activity was accompanied by sizzling lightening and roaring snapping thunderbolts causing me to scream, at least once.  Who could think calmly?

Then a heavy glass turntable started to slide down the length of our picnic table.  I made a grab for it before it went crashing onto the brick patio off the porch.  We did our best and hoped all would be okay. 

What can you do?  Living here during Monsoon season means you really can’t put out summer loungers, umbrellas, toys or pillows because they will become projectiles.  It’s still hot and often sunny during the day; but to relax out back means committing to taking everything back in every afternoon.  The weather forecasters do their best, but, in my experience the Monsoon and its winds has a mind of its own.  And it’s blowing mine.