The rain has come. At least, I hope so.
About three days ago, it felt as if someone had sloshed a 55 gallon barrel of water on the sauna that is summer Melaque. What had been a pleasant summer the day before turned into the equivalent of water boarding. Hot. Wet. Claustrophobic.
That usually means that the tropical rains are on their way. Something we summer residents pray for.
The rains bring some relief by washing the humidity out of the air. But it is a mixed blessing. Most of the rainfall evaporates within the day and we are right back were we started.
Hot. Wet. Claustrophobic. Praying for another round of rain.
Even though we live in the tropics, we do not get the Bangladesh-under-water monsoons. Our rain is a bit more like Venice for a day. But we can put up with the pond-hopping in return for a bit of relief.
Without our four months of rain (come October, we may not see another drop until next June), our surrounding hills would lack the greenery and flowers that give us the misnomer "jungle." Instead, we would be facing New Mexico-style wild fires.
I started by writing I hope the rains have returned. These things can be a bit dodgy.
In the season, we often get rain at night. I cannot hear it because of the B-26 roar of the fans in my bedroom. But I knew something was up early this morning when I could hear the thunder over the din of the fans. And saw the lightning. The summer companions of rainstorms.
All that was missing was the usual power failure. And I did not need to wait for long. The fans went dead. The refrigerator's failing condenser stopped humming.
No electrical noise. Just the subtle patter of rain. Punctuated now and then with a cannon boom and a flash of light. And a cool breeze as the rain fell.
It felt nice.
This afternoon there is little evidence of the rain The sun is out. The damp is rising. And the electricity is back.
All is right with the summer.
Even better, I am off to have lunch with two friends at The Frog Annex -- or The Frog West, as we are calling it.
It is going to be a good day.
The picture makes me want to go all Gene Kelly and start singin' in the rain and stomping in puddles.
ReplyDeleteI can hear it from here, "Turn that letter Vanna!!!"
ReplyDeleteThe rhythm of the wet season and the dry season was oddly comforting in Mexico. The predictability was nice. Here in Texas weather is always a crap shoot ...
ReplyDeleteThe photograph is from 2010, But our summer streets often look like that. Last night's rain was merely enough to whet the appetite. Or would that be wet the appetite?
ReplyDeleteThe rain must have made me dense. Try as I may, my clever meter is not working.
ReplyDeleteI can hardly wait for the big thunder storms. THey put Wgner to shame. But, then, so much does.
ReplyDeleteYou, Sir, need a pied a terre in Morelia, SMA, Guadlajara, DF, or some other cool, highland place with culture and a tolerable summer climate.
ReplyDeleteSaludos,
Kim G
Boston, MA
Where we continue to be inundated by near-incessant rains.
Amen to that. It appears San Miguel and Guanajuato may be on my horizon this summer.
ReplyDelete"Hot. Wet. Claustrophobic. Praying for another round of rain."
ReplyDeleteSounds like a great place.
Here, we are still waiting for substantial rainfall. Our friends in Pátzcuaro had one on Friday. Didn't touch us, only 8 miles away.
If we had the dinero, we'd winter in Zihautanejo and summer here, near Pátzcuaro.
Saludos,Don Cuevas
Given the prevailing winds, your rains should reach us in a day or two. Not a moment too soon. In Cuba it was hot, muggy, rainy and almost blindingly green. Here it's desert-dry, windy and dusty, with beige or brown the predominant colors of the landscape. We need to find a mid-point.
ReplyDeleteal
There is a lot to be said for the mountain-beach living arrangement.
ReplyDeleteThere is, of course, the two house solution. An idea that is very enticing to me.
ReplyDeleteI still want to know if, La Rana, will be opening their original location in Nov., as Nicho had mentioned to me, before the Annex entered in.
ReplyDeleteI so enjoyed rolling out of bed, and having a nice breakfast, or at times brunch, prepared to my taste, with pleasant people surroundings.
Plans? Who needs stinkin' plans?
ReplyDeleteI understand the annex is only for the summer.
We had a modest rainfall here yesterday afternoon. Refreshing.
ReplyDeleteSeveral hours later came The Soaker.I then declared the Rainy Season officially opened.Saludos, Don Cuevas
Our bit of rain in the night was merely a teaser. It looks as if we may need to wait a day or two for our Real Rain.
ReplyDelete