A kinder, gentler hurricane

So, if Hurricane Ivan was off bullying innocents Gulf States, Javier was far more benign, at least by the time it reached the U.S. The remnants of said hurricane gave my Scout troop and I a thorough soaking during our camping weekend; but in spite of–or more likely because of–this, everyone seemed to have a good time. The rain that began very early Saturday morning let up just long enough to let us manage our planned hike, then gave us a good long soaking that resulted in everyone holing up in one of the bungalows, playing cards and mad-libs while the rain fell outside. The feel was very much that of a slumber party.

A moat surrounded our campfire ring, so s’mores and popcorn got made over the camp stove instead, and some songs sung there, too. Everyone wound up a bit damp, but not dangerously so. (Lots of emphasis on layers, and on putting the driest layers closest to the skin, and on the fact that no, rain ponchos are not optional.)

And we learned that yes, thick enough fog can set off the fire alarms at 5:30 a.m. 🙂

Came home Sunday, and by evening the rain had blown away, leaving the world with a fresh, new sort of smell that one doesn’t get in the desert all that often. As if the rains had scrubbed the world clean, for a time, at least.