Thursday's Deluge

So how is your week going? 
We are enjoying the rain today! It's been awhile (maybe a month?) since the last real rain. It's not cold enough presently to snow, but the rain is more than welcome. 

It's been raining all night.

*Actual snap of my view!

People here do not often drive in the rain, so it's the best time to go to the market or get errands done. But actually the pull to stay home and call in sick is strong, lol
(I'm acting like a local, lol)

In my defense I have new makeup to try and a pile of books to read, lol. I was planning on taking a break from purchasing both this month, but that didn't last a week! #FML

Nice, yeah?

My pile of "BTR" is growing and growing.

I confess I'm struggling with this WW 1 themed story.

I'm not a fan of reading about wars. So it doesn't interest me and I do not know enough about the history to know what is satire and what is fiction. But I will do a full review soon of this book, plus the other two I've read this month.

And yes, I did go out in the rain. 

I actually had to get used to the smell of the rain here, it's very different.

From what I understand, the after-the-rain smell is actually a complex equation. See the smell changes based on the acidity of the rain. Because of chemicals in the atmosphere, rainwater tends to be somewhat acidic, especially in urban environments. Have you noticed different cities smell differently?

When rain comes in contact with organic debris or chemicals on the ground, it can cause some particularly aromatic reactions. It breaks apart soil and releases minerals trapped inside, and it reacts with chemicals, such as, I don't know, say petrol and this changes the scent, too. These reactions generally produce more unpleasant smells than bacteria spores, which is why the after-the-rain smell isn't always pleasant. But just like the smell caused by spores, the smell of chemical reactions is most noticeable when it rains following a dry spell.  Since it does not rain often here, normally the scent is very distinct and took some getting used to. 

(I burned a lot of scented candles in the beginning.)

There are many more trees here than people expect.

Another after-the-rain smell comes from volatile oils that plants and trees release. The oil then collects on surfaces such as rocks, which we have plenty of. The rain reacts with the oil on the rocks and it becomes a gas. This scent is one that most people consider to be a pleasant, fresh smell. It has even been bottled and sold!

The after-the-rain smell in the UK and EU is different from the smell after the rain in south Texas, Washington state or Florida. So it's crazy when you talk about the after-the-rain smell with someone else, you may mean one thing while your friend is thinking of something else entirely.

Alright I'm gonna quit stalling and go to work.

Speak soon!