Worries in this season

We had heavy rain all night last night widely in north-east Japan including Shinshu region.  There were tornadoes observed somewhere else as well. 


The lashing noise of rain on the roof disturbed my sleep.  I live in a over 20 years old Canadian log cabin at the foot of the Northern Alps in Shinshu with my family at present.  In such a cabin, there is no ceiling under the roof, the noise gets much louder than in an usual town house.  Half awake and half sleep, I recalled that I had been worried in the same season of last year if a landslide or a flash flood took place. 


Besides, there was an earthquake in the daytime yesterday.  Since the major earthquake of East Japan occurred, we have been experienced numerous aftershocks here and there, and, these repeatedly occurred earthquakes cause crustal deformation, according to specialists.
Shinshu is famous for clear and pure water of melting snow of the mountains.  What I am worried about is the relation of suddenly increased amount of water with flowing courses of ground water which might be deformed by these earthquakes. 


What disturbed my sleep these days is not only such awful weather, however.  Something,( usually flying), suddenly has appeared in our cabin in the middle of the night since 4 days.  A black, flying, nocturnal creature, --yes, it is a bat!  It is awful to live with a bat in the same house even if a bat is said to be a symbol of fortune in Japan as well as in China. In addition to that, it is assigned to a protected animal in Japan(does this mean we have to welcome it to our home?)  Did you know that? Simply I didn't. 


It also happened in this season of last year as well.  It took some time until I realise it was a bat, but(!), it  was only an accident of one single day.  I mean, I found it dead in an empty narrow flower vase in my room on the next day.  I had totally forgotten about this unwelcome guest until the same thing happened this week. 


Can you imagine being waken up by a bat's fluttering noise in a dark of the middle of the night?