Proof That I Am Not Just A Weather Whiner

So I live in Oregon. You all know it rains a lot here, right? So much that there are a whole host of Oregon rain jokes like:
"How do you tell an Oregonian? By the moss growing on the north side of his nose."
or
"Last year in Oregon, 120 people fell off of their bicycles.... and drowned."

That last one's not quite so unrealistic these days.

So I'm used to the rain. I don't have to like it, not when I'm trying to train for an Ironman and I'm in serious danger of drowning while riding my bike... (see above photo from this week here in town)  but I live with it. This last month however has had me at my wit's end. Even the cats can't believe how much it's raining. They ask to go out, then when you open the door for them they just stand there looking out, and they hiss or howl mournfully. I just say sadly "I know how you feel buddy. But it's Oregon."

But lest you think I'm just a weather whiner like my cats, the local news came out with the fact today that it rained TWICE AS MUCH in March as it normally does here. When "normally" is a bucketload of rain, that's one unhappy fact. So yesterday when I was out test-riding bicycles (more on that exciting bit of news later), I had to come in and prop each foot up in the sink of the bathroom at the bike store and run hot water over it until it stopped looking all white and freaky and frostbitten. It's a cold rain that's dumping on us around here, and I'm ready for it to be over with.

Here's to April Showers that are in the "normal" range, bicyclists that don't need scuba gear to ride, and a much happier household of kitties.