We read Geraldine’s Big Snow   and we thought we would change it to tell about the winters in Southern California.  We live close to the mountains where we have lots of fires during the fire season.  The fire season is usually in September through late October.  We had many fires this year, so we thought we would tell about what we do to get ready for big rain storms.

 

 Geraldine’s Big Rain Storm

Geraldine brought her raincoat and umbrella from her closet and put her rain boots near the door. “I’m ready,” she said.
“The rain will come faster if you keep busy,” Mama told her. But Geraldine wanted to watch.
“Tell me again what Papa heard on the news,” she said.
“This is the last time, Geraldine,” Mama scolded. “He heard that there is a big rain storm coming, and there will be at least six inches of rain.”
“How much is that?” Geraldine asked.
Mama held out her hand. “Wow,” Geraldine said, sucking in her cheeks. “But when?”
“Soon,” said Mama. “Very soon.”
Geraldine put on her raincoat and her rain boots.
“I’m going outside to wait.”
“Great,” Mama said.
“Hello, Geraldine,” said Mrs. Jones, who was coming home from the market.
“You bought a lot of berries,” Geraldine said.
Mrs. Jones nodded. “It will be hard to go shopping when the rain comes.”
Geraldine walked along with her eyes on the sky until she bumped into Mr. Smith, who was coming home from the library.
“ ‘Afternoon, Geraldine,” Mr. Smith grumbled as he picked up his books.
“I’m sorry,” Geraldine said. “I was watching for the rain.”
Mr. Smith cleared his throat. “Better get plenty of good books to read.”
Geraldine stopped to watch Mr. Clark fill sandbags with sand. “Remember the fires we had in September?” he said. “Now we have to keep our houses safe from the mudslides.”
Uncle Herman was polishing his police car. Geraldine knew that when it rains there are a lot of accidents. He waved to Geraldine, and Geraldine waved back.
Geraldine started to sing. “It’s coming, it’s coming, it’s coming.” She sang all the way home and watched the sky.
But by suppertime there was still no rain, and Geraldine was tired from watching.
“Maybe it isn’t really coming,” she said. “Maybe the man on the news is wrong. Maybe Mrs. Jones, and Mr. Smith, and Mr. Clark, and Uncle Herman are all wrong.”
Geraldine took a last look out the window.
A ring was around the moon, and she watched it until she fell asleep.
Then in the night it came. Softly and quietly. Millions of drops piled on the ground and trees. They made the streets shine and the trees sparkle.

Geraldine heard Uncle Herman’s police car leave before she opened her eyes. “It’s here!” she shouted. “It’s here!”
Mrs. Jones got right to work making berry pies.
Mr. Smith sat in front of the fireplace reading.
Mr. Clark watched to see that the mud didn’t enter his house.
And Geraldine put on her raincoat, boots and grabbed her umbrella. She went outside to jump in the biggest puddle she could find.
 

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