Crazy Weather!
So, I'm sitting huddled up under my kotatsu listening to the wind HOWL. It's traveling fast out of the mountains and it's absolutely ear splitting as it blasts against the side of the house and whistles along the gulley's of the river. It's blowing so hard (and my house is so fragile) that my INTERNAL doors are rattling inside my house.
The weather has been absolutely crazy these past two days. It has been rather warm this winter... what the Japanese call "dantou" which basically means warm winter. It has gotten up into the 50s this week so today I decided against my long johns and extra layers. That was a bad move. Today as I was walking out at lunch it started TO SNOW. Yes, snow is not a Mandelina's natural habitat. I ran home today and promptly changed into thick pajamas and woolly socks.
Yesterday was the worst day of all though. It was pouring down rain all day and I had to cross the COMPLETELY waterlogged soccer field (er, mud field more like it) to get to the dojo for Kyudo. It rained all during Kyudo practice and as I trudged home I was soaked through. That was rather inconvenient, but the worst part was at home. For those of you not in the know, I live along the Oigawa river. Which before modern dam technology was the most feared river along the old Tokkaido road in Japan. Many people died trying to cross it. Luckily in the 20th century, THREE dams were built to try and tame it. Even now when it rains up here in the mountains, the rain just starts flowing EXTREMELY fast and strong and surges down through the narrow river valley. We are in danger of flooding. However, last night 2 of the dams were in danger of breaching... so they had to open up the flood gates a bit. I was minding my Ps and Qs when I hear the most ear shattering blast ever as the flood sirens (which I have only ever heard rumor of, but never in person) start blaring to kingdom come. It was crazy. They would finally quiet down only to start up again 10 minutes later. This went on for TWO HOURS last night. It's a scary noise. Especially when it feels like your house is going to float away at any moment. Ah well, I'm safe for now... just a bit cold and soggy. Here's hoping there is no ice tomorrow morning for the drive to work!
And here I was all worried about JUST earthquakes, meh.
The weather has been absolutely crazy these past two days. It has been rather warm this winter... what the Japanese call "dantou" which basically means warm winter. It has gotten up into the 50s this week so today I decided against my long johns and extra layers. That was a bad move. Today as I was walking out at lunch it started TO SNOW. Yes, snow is not a Mandelina's natural habitat. I ran home today and promptly changed into thick pajamas and woolly socks.
Yesterday was the worst day of all though. It was pouring down rain all day and I had to cross the COMPLETELY waterlogged soccer field (er, mud field more like it) to get to the dojo for Kyudo. It rained all during Kyudo practice and as I trudged home I was soaked through. That was rather inconvenient, but the worst part was at home. For those of you not in the know, I live along the Oigawa river. Which before modern dam technology was the most feared river along the old Tokkaido road in Japan. Many people died trying to cross it. Luckily in the 20th century, THREE dams were built to try and tame it. Even now when it rains up here in the mountains, the rain just starts flowing EXTREMELY fast and strong and surges down through the narrow river valley. We are in danger of flooding. However, last night 2 of the dams were in danger of breaching... so they had to open up the flood gates a bit. I was minding my Ps and Qs when I hear the most ear shattering blast ever as the flood sirens (which I have only ever heard rumor of, but never in person) start blaring to kingdom come. It was crazy. They would finally quiet down only to start up again 10 minutes later. This went on for TWO HOURS last night. It's a scary noise. Especially when it feels like your house is going to float away at any moment. Ah well, I'm safe for now... just a bit cold and soggy. Here's hoping there is no ice tomorrow morning for the drive to work!
And here I was all worried about JUST earthquakes, meh.