Boy, we’ve had some wicked thunder boomers lately! The middle of the night kind, where that clap of thunder is so loud, you levitate out of bed. Thank goodness, our little dog Scamp is unfazed. He just sighs and rolls over. I wish Charlie and me could do the same. It’s like that thunder has breathed new life into us.
Then there’s the storms that happen late in the afternoon. The kind where Mahoosuc Mills 
turns from Vacationland to Stephen King territory in a few ominous minutes. You look one way, and it’s fine: sunny and full of promise. Then you turn your head and see the Apocalypse bearing down on you. The wind starts whipping, the lights flicker. There’s the distant rumble of thunder, quick flashes of lightening. And then boom! The rain comes hammering down.
The minute I hear that thunder, I unplug the computer. I’m good about that. But the weird thing is, I always wait until the rain starts before running around the house and closing the windows. See, before the storm, it’s just so darn muggy. Add in a hot flash or two, and I’m loath to cut off the air flow, meager as it is. Besides, maybe the storm will pass us by. Then, I’d have done all that running around for nothing. Even after the monsoon hits, I only completely close up those windows where the wind is blowing the rain in. That thunderstorm air is so nice and cool and I want to drink it up.
After the rain passes, soon as I can, I run around the house and open everything up. And as I do, the fresh, clean air comes wafting in. That’s my favorite part of summer storms.
Naturally, Charlie has a different routine when it comes to thunder boomers. He’s a dutiful guy, so the minute he sees the dark clouds coming, he’ll close everything up tight as a drum. It’s suffocating, but I get it. I tend to wait too long and then I have to get out a towel and wipe down the floor.
But here’s my pet peeve: Charlie will do his bit and close the windows, but he doesn’t open them after. He’s on to the next thing, too busy working, or assessing the damage out in the yard, limbs down and whatnot. If I’m not home when the storm happens, I return to this muggy oven of a house. I’ll complain to Scamp, “I can’t believe Charlie didn’t open the windows. It’s stifling in here!” And miffed, I run around opening everything up. My Fitbit is happy, but not me.
Apparently, air flow is my domain. That happens in a couple. Certain tasks become the things you do. We kind of self select, I guess, what each of us is responsible for. Though sometimes it seems that the opposite is true. That you or your mate select what you’re not going to do. But hey, when it comes right down to it, I’ll take the windows any day over sorting the recycling!
That’s it for now. Catch you on the flip side!
Hear Ida Tell It: Thunder Boomers
Coming Up This Week
August 29: The Best of Ida, ACT ONE Summer Festival, 2:00 & 7:30pm, Portsmouth, NH
This Fall
September 25: A Visit With Ida, South Berwick Senior Center, 11:00am, South Berwick, ME
October 17: The Moose in Me, The Moose in You!, National Hospice Volunteer Conference, 8:00pm, Holiday Inn By the Bay, Portland, ME
November 3: Cold River Radio Show Live featured storyteller, 7:00pm, Theatre in the Wood, Intervale, NH
Check out my full schedule here.
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