I check the weather online every morning, especially the heat index, dew point, air pressure and special warnings regarding the elderly or those with allergies and other health issues. My sons thought I was overly obsessed until recently.

As Health Care Advocate for 92 year old mother with congestive heart failure and when my husband was alive, Alzheimers' combined with severe emphysema, I had to plan everything around the weather, which can be quite fickle.

Today's predictions included periods of heavy rain with the possibility of dime-sized hail, 35 mph winds until 10pm. My younger son's girlfriend arrived after work drenched, having driven on a busy highway where everyone drove 5 mph with hazard lights on.

Suddenly, the sun broke through. Excitedly I suggested looking for a rainbow. She looked horrified, then explained in her family and culture, the rainbow is "a sign that the Devil is getting married." I reached back into my Bible Study memories which started with God's promise to Noah.

As my thoughts coalesced, Noah ends up naked. I made the mistake of verbalizing this, then spent the next hour reading more than I wanted on rainbows and demons in other cultures. In short, I learned a lot and for that lack of a rainbow today, I'm grateful.

Brevity Quest 2016
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