Rain, Storms, and GPS, Oh My!

Last week I told you I’d be hosting my book club on Friday. Thursday night the storms arrived. We had record setting rain for much of three days.

I bought the chicken to bake. I bought the wine and the Candy Corn. I decorated the dining room table. All the while wondering if we’d have to cancel.

Friday cleared up a bit. Still gray and cloudy but without the torrents falling from the skies. So we proceeded with the meeting.

The first people arrived a bit after 7. The rains and flooded streets slowed them down.

The next group arrived about 7:20. They’d gotten lost because they couldn’t see the street signs through the veils of rain.

About 7:30 we decided to go ahead and eat supper though we were missing one person. Then we got the call.

My friend Barbara, who’d invited me to the book club in the first place, was lost. She couldn’t even tell me where she was. It’s tough to read street signs when the rain is coming down so hard and when you’re in an unfamiliar neighborhood. To make it harder, she kept driving. We finally got her to stop and I figured out where I thought she was.

Off Vickery Blvd, we have several small, gated communities. We told her to stay there and Sandra, whose car was parked out front, said she’d drive, and we took out to find Barbara.

I did not grab a raincoat nor take time to change from my sandals to rain boots. A big mistake.

First attempt, I led us astray. We got to where I thought Barbara should be and there was no car. Then it dawned on me I’d heard the name wrong for the small community. We headed back and found her. Sandra and I had decided that I’d offer to drive Barbara’s car because we were afraid she’d lose us if she just followed in her car. Not to mention that her trembling voice suggested she was pretty shaken up.

Not much scarier than being lost in a part of town you don’t know in a blinding downpour!

I hopped out of Sandra’s car and Barbara got out and into the passenger seat while I climbed into her driver’s seat. All the while the rain is gushing down and we scurried through rivers of water!

As I drove off, I realized that not only should I have taken time to put on a raincoat and rain boots, I should’ve grabbed my driver’s license! Yikes! Not a time to get pulled over.

Fortunately, we made it home quickly and safely, and by the time we pulled into our driveway, the rain had slackened. Still we were all wet puppies. What an adventure! (Thought I doubted my sandals could recover, they did. 🙂 )

The meal wasn’t as hot as I’d have liked, but we were just glad we were all safely there.  The discussion of SECOND ACT was informative. Again, I was blown away by how in depth these women read.

Here’s the deal. The book club members live a long way from where I live. Had the meeting been at one of their house with the storms we were having, I’m not sure I’d have been gutsy enough to head out. So kudos to the members of my book club. I’m hoping that next month the weather is much better.

Oh, and the original problem happened when Barbara’s GPS told her to “merge onto 183.” She didn’t need to do that. She was right at the turn off to my neighborhood. So close and yet so far!

So what’s the scariest weather experience you’ve had in the car?

It’s not too late to sign up for the huge October Giveaway from my Sisters of Suspense. http://sistersofsuspense.com/giveaways/

If you haven’t signed up for my newsletter and this blog, I hope you will. In November, we’ll have a cover reveal for the next book, ACT OF TRUST, The Second Chances Series, Book 2!