And yet, when you think about it, all that wet weather came from down south. Icky as the week has been, and least we haven't had to endure c-o-l-d. Hey, we're denizens of the banana belt, inhabitants of an Alaska maritime zone, just like our friends in Southeast Alaska. Our resident Sitka ex-pat said he laughs at this kind of weather. "To a Sitkan, rain is oxygen," he said. Yeah, well, maybe with some chemical engineering.

Soon enough you can walk on water instead of slopping through it. Like Southeast, as of yesterday we can install studded tires on our cosmic pick-em-up trucks (or, in the case of some of you, go back to legally driving with studs). So why not celebrate another glorious week of challenging weather by puttin' on your X-tra tuffs and doin' these Best Bets:

BEST CHANGING WALLS BET: Strut your Wellies around town and check out the monthly First Friday art openings starting Friday night, of course. See the arts page for a complete list, directions, helpful tips about the best noshes, and, oh yeah, the way cool art you can see. Bring your checkbook newly recharged with Permanent Fund Dividends, because you'll want to buy some art.

BEST ROAR OF THE GREASEPAINT BET: Some of you parents might have noticed your kids acting strangely this past week, what with funny walks, goofy grins, tumbling out of small cars and other bizarre behavior. Fear not, for there's a clown in town teaching them the art. You can see what visiting clown and storyteller Jerry Falek has taught McNeil Canyon Elementary Students at a show from 4-7 p.m. Saturday when they perform at the Mariner Theatre. Tickets are $5 for adults, $2 for youth and $12 for the entire family at the door, the Homer Council on the Arts, McNeil Canyon School or at the door.

BEST GARAGE SALE BET: Hey, just because summer is gone doesn't mean we still can't cruise garage sales. Check out the South Peninsula Women's Services Yard Sale Fund-raiser from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday at SPWS, 3776 Lake Street.

BEST HAVE A GARAGE SALE BET: After buying all sorts of incredibly useful things at the SPWS garage sale, on Monday, join them in a march to "Help End Domestic Violence in Our Community" starting at 5:30 p.m. at the United Methodist Church. The march proceeds west on East End Road to Pioneer Avenue.

BEST HANGING CHADS BET Tuesday you can do your civic duty and exercise one of the fundamental rights of citizenship in our great republic: voting. Confused by a complicated ballot with board elections, propositions and such? Hey, it could be worse. Think about those poor Californians who have ballots the size of small town phone books.