It's pouring in New York. It's been raining off and on for almost a week, but this morning it's pouring. I mean, hammering, pounding, crashing rain. Sweeping-over-the-asphalt rain. Puddles-too-wide-to-leap, God's-taking-a-shower-and-you're-in-the-bathtub-too rain. At the river, New Jersey was absolutely invisible -- hell, the middle of the river was invisible -- and the water was dark green and opaque. Fast-moving, shallow swells ran into the seawall, dotted with an infinite number of perfect circles. Ferries and tugs with barges inched by. Do they have radar? And all kinds of debris floated downriver -- driftwood, an orange buoy, something large and white... It rained so hard my umbrella actually leaked from the seams! But you Pacific Northwesters will be happy to know my new Seattle raincoat kept me totally dry. I got it last time I was there, on tour, so that's last fall. I saw it in a window, loved it, and decided if anyplace would know how to make a raincoat, it would be Seattle, so between appearances I dashed in and bought it. By the time I got back to NY it was too cold to use it, and it didn't rain much here this summer, so this is its first real outing. What a trouper! Thanks, Seattle!