The sky is blue?

Non mi piace la pioggia!

Know what that means? It means ‘I don’t like the rain’… I didn’t even have to look it up. I know that phrase by heart.

I know the weather is a lame post topic, but seriously. It has been SO gray and rainy here. Late last week, Dave and I decided that when he got home from school, we were going out for a glass of wine, rain or not. Mostly because I was getting severe cabin fever and if everything was going to drown, why not our (weather) sorrows too? Also because, walking to the grocery store earlier that week was a rough go of it for me (read on). I doubt the United States has has heard much about it (maybe? It has been pretty bad…) but the news here is all-weather, all the time because of this storm (French friends, you know what I’m talking about, right?!).

We heard it was remnants of the huge storm plaguing the East Coast a few weeks ago (thanks a lot, home country). Whether true or not, I don’t know, but the weather has topped the news stories here, mostly about how Venice is under water and the snow levels to the north of us are ridiculous.

So Wednesday night, we went out and to our surprise, it was dry! We’d heard late drizzle, so we made sure to return home before that lovely moment, but then, to our surprise Thursday morning, we woke up to sunshine.

Sun.Shine.

Rain in Udine
The rain. It just won’t stop.

Hence the title of this post. I had kinda forgotten what blue sky was all about. It apparently took everyone in Europe by surprise, because the European contingent of my Facebook feed was all pictures of blue sky. It’s all we talked about because we have been are desperate. Now, after last night’s downpour, it’s Tuesday and the sky’s are just waiting to open up. Again. Thursday’s sun is long gone. My life has become Dave sharing monthly rainfall totals because we are just in disbelief.

Fun fact: if you Google ‘January rainfall in Udine,’ I’m listed on the front page of the search results.

I know this topic seems frivolous, but when one doesn’t have a car, there are no trips to the mall or Target to get out of the house. It’s a very confining feeling; should you want to leave, you’re subjected to the elements. And not only the rain and wind and cold, but the puddles that cars drive through and soak you because you had the gall to think you could cross in the crosswalk to get to the grocery store because you were out of food. Not that I’d know anything about that. Ahem.

The crap weather also means I can’t explore the city, which makes it difficult to come up with blog topics, let alone get comfortable in my surroundings. The Infamous Day of Blue Sky (so it shall be called from here on out) was spent almost entirely outside— taking the long way to the grocery store farther away, meeting up with Dave’s classmates for a drink after dinner and sitting at a table outside. Because we could. All this has made me think I may suffer from SAD. You know, Seasonal Affect Disorder? Because I was practically giddy when the sun was out Thursday. Yesterday, the overcast skies were ready to give way to rain and I got lost trying to meet Dave at the gym and I was cranky. Today, I’m just holing up in our house. For me, without access to my scrapbook supplies, consecutive rainy days are useless and just make me angry.

I’ve also been on a mission to find galoshes. Because it’s apparent that I need them here. Dave’s professor also shared the bright nugget that this time of year is usually the dry season in Udine. Ugh. I think I should start building an arc.