** Twenty Four At Heart 2010 Calendars were mailed out to all contest winners yesterday. **
I was going to write up the rest of my Santa Barbara trip for you today, but it will have to wait.
You won't believe what's been happening in Orange County during this week of El Nino "epic" storms!
I know many of you will laugh at me for thinking this is a big deal ... but it IS a big deal here.
Yesterday we had a torrential downpour at my house. The canyon I live in is right against the mountains. When there's rain, we usually get a lot more than other areas of The OC. The clouds get stuck here - basically, they stay pinned up against the mountains.
The bottom half of my two-level patio was flooded. The drains couldn't begin to keep up with the amount of rain coming down.
The water level rose almost to the point of entering the house. Thank goodness the rain finally slowed down just in time to prevent major problems.
We had buckets of rain, lightening (!), thunder (!), a tornado (!!) in Huntington Beach, and 50-60 mph winds.
This is not even remotely "normal" for Orange County. Yes, we get awe-inspiring Santa Ana winds here but those occur with clear skies.
Oh, I almost forgot - we got SNOW too!
Well ... not really. It was hail.
Nevertheless, anything white and cold is a very rare occurrence here.
They're predicting even bigger storms today and the remainder of the week.
Wow!
© Twenty Four At Heart
I am totally with you on the rain. It rained here three times last year, each day a public holiday was declared...
Posted by: Eternally Distracted | January 20, 2010 at 02:01 AM
how will this effect your new grass/carpet??
Posted by: Joanne | January 20, 2010 at 04:16 AM
Waaa, waaa, waaa. Cry me a river. Yes, I get that you're in CA but WE ARE BEING BURIED ALIVE!!! Seriously!! The white stuff will NOT stop.
I hate Maine.
Hallie
Posted by: Hallie | January 20, 2010 at 05:37 AM
Welcome to my world sister. 80 degrees on day, blizzard the next. But that's why I love my Home Sweet Oklahoma. ;)
Posted by: ballerinatoes | January 20, 2010 at 05:46 AM
Sandbag the patio door!
Posted by: Linda | January 20, 2010 at 06:06 AM
Wow, as we would say in New England, that's some "wicked bad weather."
Stay safe and dry!
Posted by: [email protected] | January 20, 2010 at 06:07 AM
At least the storm hit your area during the day. It hit Arizona in the middle of the night and woke me up when it started pounding on my bedroom window (which rarely gets hit directly by rain). ARGH! I'm so sleepy!
Posted by: Grace | January 20, 2010 at 06:21 AM
I don't mean to laugh - but I am!
Posted by: Kelly | January 20, 2010 at 07:13 AM
We are so cute here in California, getting all wound up about rain. Don't get me wrong, I'm doing it too:).
Posted by: LPC | January 20, 2010 at 07:15 AM
It has been similar here in LA. Just crazy. I miss my sunshine.
Posted by: Jack | January 20, 2010 at 07:23 AM
We are cold. We are gray. We are depressing. It will remain this way until May.
I would welcome - nay,LOVE - a huge rainstorm with thunder and lightening and hail. Anything but this cold, gray sameness.
Posted by: Jan | January 20, 2010 at 08:42 AM
Oh, those poor plants!
Posted by: Anne Gibert | January 20, 2010 at 09:27 AM
I am glad to see you are freaking out about the weather too.
It was UNBELIEVABLE yesterday. Hunter was on "Lockdown" at his school because of the tornado warning and Bronson was sent home early from therapy, because according to him, mentally unstable people do not do well with unstable weather. The hospital lost power and the PCH was a river! Gathering my chicks yesterday afternoon was insane. I was looking for the ark in my rear view mirror.
Posted by: Sandi | January 20, 2010 at 11:56 AM
We got it last night too. But Havasu and the surrounding areas are supposed to get pounded tonight. Up to 3 inches. Our annual average is less than 3.5 inches. Gonna be flash floods tonight. BTW, I love storms.
Posted by: Stephen | January 20, 2010 at 01:46 PM
Hey, you need to bring the cushions in! They need to dry out or they will be one moldy smelling mess. ;)
Here in Pennsylvania they showed the terrible mud slides (in southern Cal.) on the evening news. I'm so sorry. Mud and water are two really lousy combinations to strike anyone's house. For once I'm really thrilled to live here in the mountains. We've had rain here also, so my grass has reappeared. (snow is almost alll gone for the moment)
I'll say a prayer that the rain stops before any of your mountains slip, slide away. Hang in there.
Hugs,
Denise ;)
Posted by: Denise | January 20, 2010 at 05:24 PM
I loved Hallie's comment. She is right you know.
That being said...I know! I got totally soaking wet today during dismissal, down to my underwear.
But all is well, because I came home today and guess what was in my mailbox? :)
Thank you, thank you, thank you. I LOVE the calendar. I'm going to hang it right by my desk and school and every time I look at it I will think of you. (And your little rabbit toy, and your bionic nipples.)
Posted by: Jason | January 20, 2010 at 05:46 PM
I heard all about your wild weather out there. It's been crazy all over the place this winter--and we're not even halfway through it yet. Ugh!
Hoping your house stays dry and, well, tornado-target free.
Be well, 24.
Posted by: mama llama | January 20, 2010 at 08:19 PM
Cool! That was a lot of water!
Posted by: Mad Woman | January 20, 2010 at 11:13 PM
We are visiting in Arizona this week and our skies look much the same here as in your area. Cold too... windy too..... but no snow. Not what we had in mind for vacation weather, but at least being with family the company is excellent!
Di
Posted by: Di | January 21, 2010 at 03:36 PM