It was a rainy time last week. Of course, it is still this week right now as I write this column. As I look through the big window to the streets outside, I can see water rolling down Main Street. When I looked off the hill this morning, I saw the creek rolling out of its bank. That's the kind of weather we've not had in a while, but needed.

Everything feels so clean when it rains. The dusty smell of the world is replaced with a fresh smell of washed leaves and moist grass, of damp earth and clean.

At least until it rains for a few days. Then everything seems wet and cold and musty. That's what it's like today.

Things started off pretty badly for me this morning in some ways. I awoke at about 6 a.m. to the sound of clanging trash cans. It seems the wind got up pretty good last night and all the lids to my trash cans took a hike across the deck this morning, reminding me of a military alarm clock. When I went outside, the rain was coming in sideways. I could barely see 10 feet ahead, let alone across the yard.

So I was surprised when I finally noticed that one of my rabbit cages had blown over and rolled down a small hill below the porch. To start with, I just saw the cage was gone and thought they were ‘gone with the wind,' like my garbage can lids. I never thought that could happen, especially with the cage anchored to the porch rail. But it happened nonetheless. I suppose all of them ran to one side and a big gust of wind blew or something.

Anyhow, after I went over to investigate, I spotted the cage through the rain. Miraculously, the door remained closed and the rabbits weren't hurt. I use a small cage on the porch for raising little rabbits after they are big enough to take away from their mother. These guys were in need of a mother. They were muddy and cold and scared and the rain was still pouring down on them.

I knew what I had to do, so I got my pickup and drove around the house to the lower driveway and picked up their cage. The water bottle, which I had just mail-ordered from BASS, was split down the back. Their food was wet and spilled everywhere.

The rabbits themselves were scared and cold with fur completely soaked and covered with food and mud. They were indeed pitiful.

By now, I was also looking rather pitiful, with the mud splashing up on my shoes and my pants and light jacket already soaked. Just then, the rain let up to a slow sprinkle.

I put the cage on the truck and looked down the hill at the creek, which was well outside its banks and rolling along like a muddy express train.

That's when I noticed that the dog was gone. I called for him and walked down the hill, only to realize that he, and his chain, were already well on their way to some unknown locale in the middle of the biggest rains we've had here since the last monsoon season. So, I figured I better get one thing done at a time, just as the rain kicked in again.

I walked back up the hill, a steep bank about 20 feet high, to where the truck was sitting. Just when I prepared to step over the side and into the road, my foot slipped on the muddy grass and I slid down the hill on my back, with cold mud and grass pulling my shirt up.

After regaining my composure and adjusting my clothes, I headed back up the hill, more carefully this time. Sadly this isn't the first time that has happened.

I had to go back into the house and get dry clothes so I wouldn't fill my truck seats with mud.

By this time, the rain decided to slack up again and I came out feeling better once I got most of the grass out of my underwear.

I then took the rabbits around the house to another cage that I already had cleaned out a few days earlier and gave them food and water. They seemed pleased to be in a dry cage that wasn't rolling down a hill and proceeded to try and clean themselves the best they could. Rabbits are like cats in that regard.

Then I set out to find the dog. It was rather odd the way it happened. I ran an ad in the classified section last week to try and find him a better home because I was afraid he would get run over. He is the Houdini of dogs and has no trouble escaping chains of any and all descriptions.

A fellow came up Thursday evening and said he would come back to get my dog on Friday afternoon — he and his wife were in a car and the dog is rather taken with playing in the mud. My dog is a border collie and the guy who was going to take him works with cattle. Border collies love to help herd animals. The fellow also had a big fenced in lot for him to play inside and another dog for a friend. It sounded like puppy paradise to me.

My house is in town and it really is no place for a dog to live, especially one that escapes often and likes to chase passing motorists. Besides, I hate having any animal that loves to be free confined to a chain. It seems cruel in some ways, but it is absolutely necessary, considering where I live.

Anyhow, by Friday morning, doggone the dog was gone. I searched his usual areas of escape, like the garage down the way, the nearby junk store and the area around the creek. I also looked along the road and in the nearby trees, sometimes stopping to ask neighbors. By this time, I was pretty well soaked through again and had to go home and change clothes again so that I could go to work.

I should have put some detergent in my pockets before I left out, I thought. Then I wouldn't need to put all of those clothes in the hamper. So, here it is getting nigh on Friday evening and I have to call the fellow and tell him that the dog I gave him is gone. I got the feeling that maybe he didn't really believe me. It does seem a bit far-fetched, if you'll pardon the dog pun.

I am worried about the dog still. I didn't want to see him go, especially not this way. Maybe some little kid with a big heart saw him and took him home. No matter what, rolling rabbits, missing dogs and rain happen sometimes. What have I learned from all this? Hmm, how about when it rains hard, you have the outdoors pretty well to yourself. That and missing dogs and hurricanes can make you feel blue. At least Saturday was better in some ways. After all, it was another day.

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