What Is Going On With Our Weather? I Feel Like I'm Living On Mars. Or Is That Uranus?

Please feel free to click on each picture for a more authentic portayal of each picture.


Living in West Texas has never been anywhere close to being delightful. It is as flat a countryside as you can imagine and the weather is harsh, going from triple digits in the Summer to often negative double digits in the Winter. Any time during the year, we might experience hail storms, damaging winds reaching up to 80 mph, raining sideways, raining in a dirt storm (resulting in a mud storm), dirt storms you can't even see to drive in, tornados, and more. The sun is harsh, making it often difficult to even grow anything.


Although we are at least nine hours from the ocean, we are also at least 5 hours from any significant body of water. I'm not talking about the smaller lakes. I don't care to go to those anyway, no matter how great anyone says they are.



Today I worked all day on getting the patio and everything on it, clean. We were supposed to have a dinner party tonight, but I just had to call everyone and call it off. I had the good table cloths out on both tables, had the places set, the boom box ready to go with soft music, and the other ususal things I get ready before I invite friends over (I always have to have plenty of Citronella candles ready and try to hide all the *yard wars* crap that hubby leaves strewn all over the place).

I was at last watering the patio plants, and without warning, I looked up to see us being hit by yet another dirt storm. I raced around like a maniac trying to remove all the place settings, get the tablecloths inside, and taking down all the hanging plants. Once that was all accomplished, I was able to take pictures. Mind you, last weekend, we had friends over for dinner on Friday, and I spent the entire day cleaning everything from the previous week's blowing dirt. I cannot begin to tell you how fucking sick I am of doing this.


I don't believe I have ever been able to go more than one week during the Summer, when I don't have to spend an entire day cleaning JUST THE PATIO before having a party. It is becoming so tiresome that I'm on the verge of pulling out every last hair on my head. I also have to dust 3-4 times per week just to keep the house from looking like I haven't dusted in 6 months. I always marvel at friends who live other places and don't even dust once per week. Or once per month. Okay, I lied. I NEVER dust. The maid does. One day per week. Happy?


So, every year (probably just about this same time of year) I beg & plead with Mr. Snooty to please let us move elsewhere in Texas, to enjoy our retirement (You know... as if we would ever retire). Unfortunately, he was born and raised here and, being the maddening creature of habit that he is, just gives me a blank look (as if to ask why in the world I'd ever want to leave such a wonderful place as this). He's going to make me die in this Hell Hole and I truly am beginning to realize it, more & more as each week passes.


Granted, I'm sure there are thousands of people who live here that don't feel this way. I am not one of them. Perhaps other people don't mind spending money to hire someone to do all the work for them. Mr. Snooty is not one of them. If I don't do it, then it would NEVER get done. It's all I can do just to get him to pay a guy to mow the lawn once a week (he thought we should only have it done once every two weeks, lol). Whatever. Anyway, I am highly allergic to dirt and a storm like this one can literally send me to bed for 1 to 2 days. He thinks it's all in my head. Yeah, right. Blowing my nose, coughing, and sneezing is all in my head.

He also refuses to change the air-conditioning filters more than once every six months, so it just makes the dirt accumulation worse, with all the dirt blowing into the house from the AC unit, not to mention the windows that need replacing. It doesn't bother him in the least and he's never been one to jump right up and take care of whatever, as he rather prefers to pick & chose his times of household duties. He figures I'm going to stay with him no matter what. He would be right.....


Anyway, it is now 30 minutes later and the rain is coming down in torrents. About this, I would never complain. It settles the dirt for a good hour after the rain stops. Then, it's Back To The Dust Bowl Days. The Mesquite soaks it up so fast that many plants and trees never get to benefit from such a rain.

Yes, Dear Readers, this is but a mere sampling of what life in harsh West Texas is like. Be very glad you don't have to deal with this... Although, I do realize there are other places that could give us a run for the money. Tell me about yours.