Dry shaving, no-fly weather and wet dogs

Life in The Sunshine State

A few days ago we had “The third named tropical storm” of the season. I never saw or heard what the name was.

Here south of Tampa, we got some rain from the edge of the tropical storm, but nowhere near as much as in Korea (1965) or Vietnam (1967) or even several thunderstorm seasons in Texas. I’m not complaining; I don’t want to see that much rain again.

In 1965 Korea, water points flooded, bringing announcement water would be used for cooking and washing dishes, nothing else. But, all soldiers were expected to continue shaving every day. “Use water in roadside ditches,” the first sergeant said. I dry-shaved. Used a razor blade a day, but it got the job done.

In 1967 Vietnam, tropical storms brought not only rain, but also days of no flying. Helicopters then were fair weather machines. Probably still are, but navigation equipment is much better.

Friday afternoon, there was light rain when the dogs said to me, “We really, really need to go outside and do what we normally do outside.”

I said, “It’s raining.”

“We really, really …” and they were hopping from foot to foot.

“Okay, okay.” I put on my shoes and pulled on a wet weather jacket, leashed up the dogs, and out we went for the 100-yard walk to the dog park.

We were about half way there when the clouds opened. By arrival time, the dogs were hanging their wet heads, my shoes were soaked, as were my jeans, and I had discovered the wet weather suit was not water proof.

The dogs did their business, and as I was bagging their business, they were saying, “It’s wet out here. We want to go back to the house.”

Well, who doesn’t?

Back home, my wife said, “You need a hot shower.”

She was right.