Wet. Friendly.

We Eugeneans are living in wet times. Most of us were spoiled by the mild, dry winters of 2001-2004; we forgot what winter really means in the Willamette Valley.

Rain. Every day. Kevin M. described this as "Seattle Weather." Well, Kevin, we natives remember the 90s, and the 80s, and the 70s. We remember the rain. We also remember the surprise snowstorm of February 1995. And the January 1st, 2004 onslaught of freezing rain and ice-sheeted streets. Both freak weather incidents lasted about a week. Then things returned to normal. Long story: "Seattle Weather" is normal Eugene weather. We've just had a five-year run of (mostly) dry and mild amnesia-inducing weather.

This morning, early morning, I lay in bed listening to the rain outside and the handyman downstairs using some large metal vacuuming device to suck water out of the duplex directly below me. The girls downstairs were flooded a few days back. I don't know where they're staying now, but folks have been de-watering it the past couple of days, tearing out ruined carpet, moving books and furniture. I'm glad I live upstairs.

By the time I got up, the sun was out and the rain had stopped. The streets were mostly dry. By 2 pm, after five hours of this gorgeous-for-January weather, I resolved to go to the post office to pick up my contributor's copies of the Bedside Guide to the No Tell Motel. Ever since the mail-theft incident, anything that doesn't fit into my mailbox remains at the post-office for pick up. I don't mind; it's a nice excuse to get out.

Of course, as soon as I mounted my rickety bike (with custom "bum" handlebars) it began to pour. I arrived at the PO soaked. While there, I ran into Molly, from the Eugene Weekly and we talked about trivia night. Tonight. At Rogue. Molly writes about food and music. She's also friends with Joe Massey.

By this tim I was hungry in addition to being wet. So I headed over to Casablanca, where Silas made me an awesome lamb sandwich. I went to trivia once with Silas. And guess who else was at trivia that night? Jenaya! (Also Joe's friend.) On my way back home, sandwich and bedside guides in my backpack, who do I run into? Jenaya! She's all low-carb these days, which I definitely disapprove of, but at least she's eating well despite. I could use me some Larb Nua. For sure.

I've been subsisting during most weeknights on yellow split-pea dal which I gussy up with curry leaves, black mustard seeds, chiles, cumin, cilantro, garlic and ginger. Not all at once. But sometimes all at once. That and Untraditional Som Tum w/ Granny Smith Apples.

I wonder if Andy ever found his Puy Lentils.