Mud Rain, and People

35°f, about 2°C, snow flurries giving way to sun and thin clouds.

Have you ever heard of mud rain? Neither had I, until last night when it literally rained mud on us while we were in Parkersburg.  

Not the best photo of the stuff that was on the van, but you can maybe see how it was like little particles on the windshield.

The National Weather Service explained the phenomenon as sand sucked up into the atmosphere from dust storms in Texas. The high winds we experienced in the past few days carried the dust to our area, where it mingled with moisture in the clouds, et voilà,  mud rain. Fortunately it was very light and fine, and later rainshowers washed it off our car. Others weren't as lucky and had to wash their vehicles. So, another new weather weirdness!

We stocked booths yesterday, then went to Mineral Wells to get cheap(er) gas and do a little shopping at Aldi's. Afterwards, we visited Parkersburg Brewing Company where Larry could use his coupon for 50% off two beers. This was a promotion offered in January, where you pay $14 for a coupon book good for 50% off beer at select breweries around the state. Proceeds benefit Trout Unlimited, so basically it's a good time for a good cause. 

While we were there our son Derek called. He was also coming to Parkersburg with two friends for dinner at another local watering hole. We went over to meet up with them for a few minutes. One of the guys was one of our neighbors, who was celebrating his 44th birthday, the other was the guy who owns and singlehandedly operates a greenhouse tomato-growing business, and who gives us free tomatoes when he is done selling. We had a good time, but this morning we are both moving slow. It is hard to remember our age sometimes-- then it hits us. Still, I would rather do and be tired than not do at all.

So, while we were at the first brewery,  Larry got to talking with a young man sitting near us. This man was from New Mexico, and was working in our area with a company that flies helicopters over gas lines, searching for leaks. His background? First he worked on his family's ranches until the family sold their land. Then he went to college and got a degree in geography; after graduation he went to work with his father, who had started a chain of car washes. Then he saw an ad for his current job, and was hired after a 15 minute interview. Now he travels all over the country.

A chance comment got him started on politics, and boy oh boy. He said he was a Libertarian,  disliked the current administration,  and he believed in some really farfetched conspiracy theories-- like never get vaccinated, all money would disappear in 8 years and there would be a "one-world" virtual currency,  democracy would vanish as well...well, you get the drift. He was a nice guy, well spoken, but wow. He firmly believed in the Deep State. I will always listen, rarely argue, and had to wonder if he heard how bizarre he sounded.  I also wonder, how many more like him are there, out in the world, working, having families, and believing firmly in such dark theories? It reminded me of this show I heard on public radio last week. 

A month ago we were at Aldi's and a lady in line behind me had a just a few items in her cart, so I offered to let her go ahead of me. She said no thanks, she wasn't in a hurry. Then she added, "I just have to do my taxes when I get home, so I am putting it off as long as I can." I commiserated, saying that I had to do mine too, and she said,"Yeah, but I have to do them for the past 5 years."

I was flabbergasted.  How do you not do your taxes, for FIVE YEARS? She said, well, she just kept putting it off, so now she was going to have to pay some penalties. Later, someone (I forget who) said that if you didn't owe any taxes, or if the government owed you, you could just not file and the IRS wouldn't care. Hunh.  I don't know about you, but I would be afraid to test that theory. Like my reaction to the young man above, I guess I am too...ordinary? mainstream? old-fashioned?...to jump into anything that seems so questionable. 

Last story from a stranger: we were at Tudor's Biscuit World back in January, and there was a group of 5 ladies in the booth behind us. They were clearly out to have a good time, laughing and chatting over their breakfast. One of them was standing up, having gone for a coffee refill. I heard her say, "When I walked into the funeral, all he could look at was my boobs, so I told him yeah, I got a boob lift!" 

You know that made me curious as could be! As we got up to leave, I said to that lady, "I just have to see that boob lift." She laughed and said, "Honey, it was a push-up bra. That thing pushed my girls up so high I couldn't even get a cup of coffee to my mouth!" These ladies were on a girls day out and I told Larry I think I wanted to go with them! 

I finally remembered to get these last two stories posted, after being reminded of them by our conversation with the young man last night. I love seeing different places, like my last post, but the people we meet along the way? I like that even better, whether I agree with or approve of them or not. It is one big, diverse, crazy world out there, isn't it?

Back to painting the bedroom. Til next time, friends.

Copyright Susanna Holstein. All rights reserved. No Republication or Redistribution Allowed without attribution to Susanna Holstein.