Thursday, October 08, 2009

bayreuth by the shore


I brought it on myself.


Not by complaining. If we could actually find solutions to problems by complaining, politicians would be admired.


Wednesday I decided to give up complaining about the unrelenting heat and humidity.


Instead, I sat out on the balcony reading Dan Brown's most recent pack of pandering paranoias while listening to Götterdämmerung at full volume. (Why not? The neighbors do. Maybe not Wagner. But songs nearly as Germanic.) You could almost imagine Siegfried and Brünnhilde pleading to the sea for relief.


It may have been the Teutonic magic, but the Aztec cousins of the Valkyries decided to respond.


Within an hour, thunder rolled, lightning flashed, and what appeared to be most of the contents of the Rhine (sans river boats and tourists) fell from the sky. I should say: is falling from the sky.


The streets are full. The beach is one step from being a giant concrete mixer. And the house has multiple puddles of water threatening electrical equipment.


This rain will not solve the local drought. It is too little, too late. But it will help.


And it will help tonight. For four nights I have tossed and turned on the couch in the living room due to the heat. Tonight, I should sleep the sleep of the almost-cool.


As is true with most things in Mexico, a bit of patience is almost always rewarded.


Sometimes in Rheingold.

12 comments:

Leslie Harris said...

Sounds just about perfect! The cooler weather we were experiencing has disappeared. In its place, terrible heat that has kept me awake. I have hope that some of that rain will make it's way up here. Saludos!

Oreen Scott said...

I can relate. Yesterdays early morning rain cooled Oaxaca off.

Yesterday afternoon I purchased a table and chairs for my patio and decided if it was hot last night I was spending my time on the patio rather than suffering the heat inside.

Unknown said...

It's a warmer and dryer time in Tegucigalpa too. Last year we were soaked during this time of year. And we should be. But last night we got a bit of rain, certainly not a downpour but enough to settle the dust and let me sleep a bit more comfy too.

Unknown said...

Dueling with extremely loud music is so beneath you.
I love it.

Michael Dickson said...

Ditch Dan Brown and every other type of reading material. The only thing to read is Spanish textbooks. There is nothing, nada, zero, zip more important than learning Spanish, and it should be a full-time job. If you don´t get reasonably agile with Spanish (and, alas, you will not, so this comment is really just giving me an opportunity to practice my typing), you will be condemned to spend your Mexican life in San Miguel or Ajijic.

Which, actually, is an environment you would enjoy far more than the easily avoidable sweating on the beach.

Tancho said...

Is your stereo louder than theirs? One of the things nice about living out of town is no close neighbors. Otherwise a pair of nice headphones would be the only way of sanity, that is until you get use to the constant drone of loud horrible music.
I tried to read a few weeks ago when we were at the coast, after about half an hour the pages would start sticking together, followed by me sticking to the back of the chair. You are indeed a trouper for the ocean view!

Steve Cotton said...

Leslie -- I hope you get a bit of this rain. It was a magnificent antidote. I slept late, and it is still "cool" at 77.

Diary of a third age woman -- I thought about sleeping outside, as well. But for the biting insects.

Laurie -- Glad to know you are more comfortable, as well.

DanaJ -- What I did not tell you is that my music war was with an absent enemy. With the exception of one house, this block is without residents.

Felipe -- I know you are correct. My Spanish is improving by getting out and using it. I now need to keep loading my vocabulary bank.

Constantino -- I rather enjoy the loud music that surronds me now and then. I am not a peace and quiet being.

1st Mate said...

I don't get it, how can you read and play music at the same time? I can't concentrate if I try to do that, especially if there are vocals involved, don't think I ever could. You must have more efficient input receivers in your brain. Or it's because you're younger. Did you do your homework with the TV on?

Sorry it's still hot there. It has cooled off here in the north already, didn't even wait until the traditional Oct. 15 startup. Somebody pulled the switch early.

Calypso said...

I have a Mexican friend with infinite patience. He and I work together on my Spanish.

I know Felipe would probably also accuse me of being one of those incapable of reasonably agile Spanish speaking - but I do live in a NON-ENGLISH speaking area.

Having a pretty Latino wife has helped immensely while weakening my ambition to learn.

There are soooo many beautiful Latino mujeres hombre - Maybe it is time to settle down with a translator? Who knows maybe even Felipe will cut you some slack?

Anonymous said...

this is the first time i have read your blog since you started up again. i am glad to hear you are making new friends, they are definitely important especially when we do not have family around.

had a great time in italy and am now enjoying france; except for this computer because the keys are different and it is hard to use so i will say au revoir for now.

teresa

GlorV1 said...

Hope the evenings cool off for you and hope you are doing well. I miss Mr. Jiggs.:(

Steve Cotton said...

1st Mate -- I can listen to music in the background. But there are certain portions of Wagner where I must stop reading and listen to the themes.

Calypso -- Anything is possible.

Teresa -- Glad to hear the trip went well. And, you are correct: making friends is a necessity no matter where we travel.

Gloria -- Tonight is a little cooler. I miss Jiggs, as well. I started to pull out an extra piece of bread to give him tonight. It is at those moments I realize he is really gone.