Somewhere Wet and Windy

The Walk Begins

This is your on-the-ground correspondent reporting live from the storm zone—also known as my neighborhood sidewalk.

It all began innocently enough. I had just finished my coffee. I was strolling home with Surley, my loyal service dog. A light drizzle began to fall. No big deal. We’re Minnesotans. We’ve seen worse.

The Downpour + Tornado Siren

But then—cue the dramatic music—the sky opened up. Torrential rain. We ducked under shelter. It let up. We continued. It poured again. We found more cover. The storm played with us like a cat with a string.

And just when we were four blocks from home, the tornado siren wailed.

Where was it located? Right on the very street we were walking. Rain pelted our faces. The wind howled. The siren blared as if it were auditioning for the lead role in a disaster film.

Naturally, as the siren screamed, I started picturing The Wizard of Oz. But instead of Dorothy and Toto, it was Levi and Surley getting swept up and carried off to the land of Oz. I wasn’t wearing ruby slippers. However, I was absolutely ready to take down a witch with a soggy sock. I had some Midwestern passive aggression ready as well.

The real star of this cinematic experience? Surley. Calm. Steady. Unbothered. For a dog who usually finds storms a bit spooky, he handled it like a seasoned storm chaser.

I told him repeatedly how proud I was. He just powered through the wind and the rain. He glanced at me as if to say, “Chill, I’ve got this.”

Coming Home

We made it home drenched, slightly stunned, and still laughing.

Surley celebrated with zoomies.

I dried us off like we’d just crawled out of a creek. Which, in a way, we had.

Your Turn

Have you ever been caught in a surprise storm with your pet?
Did they channel inner courage… or cartoon chaos?

Tell me your best soggy, windy, or siren-filled story in the comments.