ashing

i was re-reading Edding's Belgariad and at one point, the heroes are in a city that is being covered in ash from the eruption of a far-away volcano. it reminded me of living in Kagoshima.

it didn't happen often and in fact, i missed most of it by always being indoors when it happened, but Sakurajima, our local active volcano, sometimes spewed up ash. students would walk in covered in it, and you'd get out of work and see a layer of it on the ground. it was also the reason why you couldn't just hang up your laundry outside and go to work, as you might have to wash it all again once you got home...

once, having blatantly missed quite a few of these occurrences, i ended up opening the non-see-through window to get a look at this weird phenomenon. it was like grey snow. weightless. minus the chill, obviously.