Waiting for the grey

I don't like to call myself a "phile" of anything but I admit I'm a purebred Pluviophile.

Ugly word, but truth.



I've lived in Germany SO long now (longer than my wildest dreams) I have come to resent the endless days the weather reporters call "heiter." Cuz almost every single day is heiter. Heiter means "cheerful, gay, bright, friendly."

In contrast, gazing at the image above relaxes me. The sound of rain on surfaces is an adult pacifier to me.

I'm sure you remember Captain Sheridan in Babylon 5, how he passed his exam because his father sprayed his bedroom window with the garden hose during the night, allowing him to sleep? Oh, better worlds.

Rarely a day goes by without the sun making an appearance, and I mean all...year...long.

As much as it rains here (pouring like FL), and as much as it snows here (MI), the sun comes out like, "Haha, you thought I'd forgotten you lytha!"

I've even taken to writing on the calendar if there is ever a day where the sun does not come out.

My husband has grown weary of me opening the window in the morning and saying, "OH, another GORGEOUS day in Germany. What can you do."

Today I learned a great new word - do you know it? Petrichor. It means that smell after rain, when it hasn't rained in a long while. That smell does not occur in Seattle very often, but I do love it. I seem to notice it mostly on the pavement, as the rain evaporates on the hot surface here.






I have a cousin (or two) who moved to Arizona and on a trip back to the Seattle area to visit our family, she said, "It's so green, it hurts my eyes." I can imagine, if you live in shades of red and brown, how the emerald green could make you squint.

We have these puffy white clouds here. Cartoon clouds floating by. Then no clouds at all, just dazzling blue.

Is there a word in German for "overcast"? Yes there is, but they never have a chance to use it.

Germans complain bitterly about the weather. That the Summers here do not resemble Mallorca's.

I complain equally bitterly, and I'm sorry but I hate wearing sticky sunscreen, being forced to wear a hat, and squinting 100% of the time. Getting sunburns every year. They say life on Earth is dependent upon Sol. I would love to see a lot less of it.

I'm not saying I wish for rain right now, but if I could just have a few days of overcast skies, it would fill my soul with happiness. All day grey. But no.....it won't happen here. Freaking Mediterranean Sea.

I remember so many people complaining about the rain in Seattle. I honestly think they should go back to where they came from, if they cannot adjust to it. Then again, you'll tell me I should just go back to my vampire-filled city and bask in the lack of light, which I cannot quite yet do.

God I pray sooner rather than later.