Vindication

/ Ann Coleman

I’ve been telling Mom and Dad for years that rain and storms are dangerous, but they wouldn’t believe me.  They think they know better, just because I’m a dog.  Whenever I felt the atmosphere begin to change (and like most dogs, I can sense that well before the first raindrop appears), I’d whine, shake and pace anxiously to warn them of the impending danger.  When that didn’t work, I’d jump up on the couch next to them, or even on the table if that’s where they were sitting, in an effort to get their attention.  All that got me was a sharp, “Get down!” while they pushed me off.

Even when the storms actually hit, they’d pretend everything was okay.  It could be pouring rain outside, with the sky lit up with lightening and deafening booms of thunder, and Mom and Dad would basically just go about their business, ignoring it all.  Even worse, they wanted ME to ignore it!  “You’ll be fine, Finn,” they’d say.  “It’s nothing but a little rain and thunder.”  Now I know that my parents are mostly smart people, but when it comes to bad weather, they have absolutely no clue.

So I have to admit that I feel just a little bit vindicated after the past week.  We had THREE bad storms in the past seven days, and all of them resulted in some rather serious flooding in our area.  Unlike many others, our house escaped damage, so we were lucky.  But our driveway turned into a raging river with several inches of rain pouring down it, and we even had white caps where it meets the street.  Trash cans floated by and disappeared behind a neighbor’s house, and all the while the water crept closer and closer to us.

Mom says we’re lucky that our house sits up high, but even that didn’t help last night, when fifty-mile an hour winds drove the rain right against our house and the upstairs bathroom window started leaking all over the floor.  Mom seemed very unhappy about that, but not nearly as unhappy as she was later, when Dad used her best towels to stuff into the window to keep more water from coming in.  And today there are many streets in our neighborhood that are still closed because of the flooding damage and the trees that blew down in the high winds.

“See?” I want to tell my parents. “I was right!  Storms are VERY dangerous!”  I’d like to believe that when the next storm comes, they’ll be a bit more sympathetic to my fear.  And then maybe they’ll join me when I take precautionary measures, like going to high ground in case of flooding.  (The dining room table is ideal for that, and there’s room for all three of us on it.)  I know perfectly well that being frightened out of your wits and trying to find a safe place is the only logical response to bad weather, and maybe, just maybe, Mom and Dad have figured that out now too.

But I guess only time will tell if they’ll react appropriately when the next storm hits.  And the one thing that all  of us agree on is that we don’t want the chance to find that out for a long, long time.

Love, Finn

86 thoughts on “Vindication”

    • It really was, Mr. Mike! Everyone is okay, thank goodness. Dad said the weep hole in the window is blocked, and that’s what caused the problem. I’m not sure what that means, but I do know that there’s a reason I don’t like storms and heavy rain! Thanks for your comment! Love, Finn

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  2. Storms are indeed dangerous Ann. Glad you got off lucky. This past weekend, there was a storm about 100 miles South of us that absolutely destroyed about 70 cars driving on our major N/S highway. There were hailstones as big as grapefruit. Windows smashed cars badly dented, some air bags deployed and some passengers with concussions from hail coming through the windows. Coupled with that storm, there were 3 tornados and a few straight line winds episodes. Yikes. Stay safe. Allan

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    • Wow, your area has had it really bad! Our problems are mostly flash floods, but what makes it hard on people is that it happened three time in such quick succession. Some people are cleaning up for the third time; others haven’t even gotten things sorted form the first time before the other two hit. And many people’s homes are permanently ruined!

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  4. You’re nicer than I am, Finn. The minute I hear thunder, I’m out of there & hiding in the basement. Mom will have to fend for herself…I’m too beautiful to die!
    Signed,
    Liz’s cat, Beau Bjorn

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  5. I’m sure they’ve listened to you Finn, and you’re right that was scary and upsetting. Glad you are all okay. You’re a smart guy and sometimes it just takes seeing bad things to help humans get motivated. I can say that cause I’m a human and sometimes I wait too long on important things. Tell your mom to have fun when she shops for new towels.

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    • Yeah, sometimes my parents just don’t take things seriously enough. (Don’t even get me started on the importance of a dog’s meal being served EXACTLY on time. They don’t get that, either.) And you know, I think Mom is cheered up a little at the thought of new towels…… Love, Finn

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    • Mom says we were lucky that way here, too. Just two states over, In Kentucky, there were fatalities, which is so sad. Still, in our area there are lots of people who lost their homes and it will take a very long time, if ever, for them to recover. The recovery centers they’ve set up were already swamped with people needing help, and that was before last night’s storm! So sad for everyone who suffers, all across the world. Love, Finn

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  7. Yes, Finn storms can be scary. I’m happy to hear you all made it through ok. Well except maybe dad who should have looked for old towels, but that’s probably not really much of a concern considering that things could have been a lot worse. I hope mom wasn’t too mad.

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    • She wasn’t, don’t worry! She just wondered, out loud, why he didn’t use the stack of old towels she keeps just for the purpose of mopping up messes….. But overall, she was just happy that a leaky window was the worst of our problems! And thank you for validating that storms are scary, because they really do terrify me! Love, Finn

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  9. Agree with you, Finn,,dogs know best. Pity people thnk they do….
    We have had the skirts of hurricanes here, rains which take out highways….our good dogs always warn us by decamping to the beds in good time!

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    • I’m so glad you’re smart enough to listen to our dogs, Miss Helen! My parents are still in what I like to think of as the “learning stage,” but I think they’ll get there eventually. Storms are dangerous and always needed to be taken seriously! Love, Finn

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  13. Hi Finn,
    Sounds like you’ve had some crazy wild weather, but hopefully everything’s ok now. Us dogs always can sense when there’s bad weather brewing, shame our humans don’t take a bit more notice but they learn eventually don’t they. Sending lots of love,
    Harry 🐶 xx

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  14. Goodness, Finn, that really was some storm, wasn’t it? I feel so sorry for all the people who lost their lives, homes and possessions during those winds and pouring rain. I’m not surprised you were terrified. Don’t your mum and dad know that animals have a sixth sense that should never be ignored? After all, they’re only humans and we are, by far, the superior species. My mum is a big softy as she lets me sleep on her bed whenever we have a storm. The world is going mad – over here we had an awful heatwave and quite a few people died from the high temperatures. It was dreadful. I was so hot even with mum’s fan blowing that I thought I was going to melt into a puddle. Mum was very worried about me and gave me extra treats to make me feel better. I hope you don’t get many more storms. Love Peanut, the cat (aka the boss). Meow! 🐈🐾

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    • Thank you, Peanut! I know that heat waves and droughts are very dangerous too, and the problem is that they last longer than storms. I know Mom thinks I worry too much about rain and storms, and I do admit that I get nervous even during gentle rains (I blame my southern upbringing on that because it flooded a lot where I used to live), but I do know what a big dangerous storm is coming! And I’m going to tell Mom about you getting to sleep in your mom’s bed. That’s a trend I think my mom should copy for sure!!! Love, Finn

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    • I bet they will too! They were all ready to get in bed when Mom heard a funny dripping noise in the bathroom and discovered the problem. So now she knows she needs to pay attention when bad weather hits!!! Love, Finn

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  18. Oh my Finn! I am guessing there was a dog friend in your area named JD that also tried to warn the human adults. Crazy that they just watch things float by without seeking higher ground!!! Hopefully, you and all your doggy friends will warn your human friends to “get on top of the tables!!!!” the next time those nasty storms come through St Louis. Stay safe!!! Maybe a canoe or kayak?

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  19. Dear Finn, I agree with you but I have decided that the best place is UNDER the table. It isn’t the water that is the problem (because I know how to swim) but that lightning! Please let your owners know that we (me and my owners) are hoping that there aren’t any storms for a long time!! Yours, Mochi

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    • Thanks, Mochi! And I think your comment has highlighted the issues that we have during storms. Do we go to higher ground to avoid floods, and seek cover to avoid a lightening strike? It’s a dilemma for sure, and one of the reasons we pace around while we’re trying to figure out the best safe place. And all the while, humans are just sitting on their behinds, watching TV or something equally clueless. All we can do is hope that there are not more storms for a long time, as you say! Love, Finn

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  23. Oh, Finn, I hear ya, Buddy! I Monkey HATE storms — all that scary noise and flashing lights! My mom tucks me in my crate and covers the top and sides with a blanket so I’m kind of in a cave, and that helps me lots. She’s also got one of those special collars that are supposed to help calm me, but sadly, it doesn’t work too well. She’s thinking about the Thundershirt but is reluctant to shell out $45 for something that might not work, ha! I’m glad you and your people are okay, but gee, hasn’t the weather been just awful??

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    • My mom didn’t get me the collar, but she did get the thunder shirt. It helps a little bit, but it doesn’t help all dogs.Mom says at the shelter where she volunteers, she’s noticed that it only helps about half of the dogs who wear them, and even then it just lessens their fear, it doesn’t take it away entirely. My vet prescribed some pills for me that seem to do the most good, so maybe your mom should check with your vet? It’s so hard to be scared of storms, and to figure out what will make us feel better!! Love, Finn

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    • Here’s hoping, Miss Anabel! Mom is sort of protective of her dining room table, because it’s old and she recently paid to have it refinished. But I say, if you can’t use a table for safety, then what’s the point of having one? And luckily, it is big enough for all of us, even any visitors that happen to be present when a storm hits! Love, Finn

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    • Yes, I do wish the weather would settle down, and it would rain where there are droughts, and quit storming where there are floods! Mom does have a thunder shirt for me, which helps a bit. But she’s found that the pills the vet gave her help the most. They’re rather mild…the vet wanted to start with the mildest….but they really do seem to help me be less anxious. I’m still a bit scared, of course (who wouldn’t be?) but I’m not as panic-stricken as I used to be! Love, Finn

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  29. Storms can be very dangerous!!! I am so glad that the flooding stayed in your driveway and that the water did not come into your house. Dogs are very good predictors of impending bad weather!!!

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    • They really are! They sense the changes in the atmosphere before we even know a storm is coming! The only problem with Finn is that he is also scared of just plain old rain, so we don’t always know when to take his warmings seriously. But that being said, better safe than sorry! And as you say, storms really can be dangerous and we do need to be on our guard. Thanks for the comment, Linda!

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  30. You’re right, Finn. Storms are pretty scary when the wind blows like crazy and the rain comes down in buckets.

    I’m not sure where the buckets go when the storm is over though.

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  32. Sounds and looks like a horrible storm(s), Finn, and I can just imagine you three sitting on the dining room table. I’m glad your house is up high and feel for all those who weren’t so lucky. I’m sure Ann will take your storm warnings much more seriously now. ❤

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  34. I like Finn’s idea that all three of you would fit on the dining room table. What a mess you had! We had flash floods two weeks ago but nothing like yours. Stay safe, stay dry. Keep snacks close by.

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    • Yeah, if he has his way, we’d all be up there every time it rains! I honestly think he was caught in a flood when he was a young pup, because he really does feel the need to go to higher ground whenever it rains. Meanwhile, we just hope that the really bad storms stay away for a while! We’ll take the gentle rain, but not the high winds and flash floods!

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  35. Dear Finn, this is Oakley. I am Patty’s Granddog. I think you are one amazing fellow canine. When storms come to our house in Texas, I shiver all over from the top of my head to the tip of my tail. My mom just tried some doggie CBD oil and it seemed to help, so she says, but she doesn’t know that I was still very scared and that I wanted them to be scared, too. I also try to warn them that the mailman and other delivery humans are really very bad people who want to hurt them, but they don’t listen to me about that, either. I will continue to shiver and bark in the hope that they will someday see how wise I am. You and I will stand strong to protect our clueless humans whom we love. Love, Oakley

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    • Hi, Oakley! My mom has never tried doggie CBD, but she did get some pills from the vet that help me a little bit. They don’t take the fear away (no surprise since it’s perfectly sensible to be afraid of something as awful as a storm), but they do help me relax a bit and cope better. My thunder shirt helps too. I’m sorry your grandma and mom don’t listen to your warnings either…about the weather and delivery people….but we love them anyway, despite their “blindness.” Hang in there! Love, Finn

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    • It is so frustrating how some areas are suffering from flooding, and others are suffering from drought! If only the rain could spread out, then we’d all be good. Hoping your drought is over soon!

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  37. Testing to see if I can comment. Like went through! Wow, seems you really had a storm some through with rain. Glad it was not worse. Husbands just don’t understand about good towel – I keep a stack of old ones in the bathroom so Husband knows to use those.

    It seems we are having extreme weather all over. Flood or drought. Take care. Thanks for the recent visits and comments! And listen to your dog about the storms.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Yes, your comment showed up! It sounds as if you and your husband have fixed the problem. And you’re so right about extreme weather…it seems so unfair that some areas are suffering from drought and others are suffering from flooding. Whatever happened to “moderation is the key?” Here’s hoping the rest of the year goes better……

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  39. People rarely listen to new ideas. I’m sorry you lost a friend. I didn’t read the whole post. I’m sorry. But it looks intellectual. And you have a whole load of admirers here.

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