wringing in the rain

Our rains are just about over for the season.

That is what I told you in reflections in the rain. That was early December. I knew even then that my announcement of going dry was a bit premature. We will often have rogue rains that dampen the adoration of our Lady of Guadalupe or even wander through during Christmas week.

That is why the rain we have had the last two days was not so much a surprise as a personal nuisance. I am preparing for my family's arrival later today. And inches of rain were not part of my to do list. Some maintenance items will stick around until my sainted brother arrives. See? There is a silver lining behind every cloud.

The nuisance is only personal to me. The Mexican tourists in town were not bothered in the least by the change in weather. Raining? Let's get in the ocean. Wet is wet. The northern tourists were not quite that stoic.

And the local farmers can use the rain. It has been a dry season for them. That is a mixed blessing after two years of fields so wet that they could not be cultivated. Several farmers were plowing last week. This rain should help their crops get a head start -- as long as the small plantings are not washed away.

My family is leaving snow in Bend. Rain will not be a deterrent to them -- even in this house that is designed for a sunny tropical climate.

For today, the rain seems to have subsided. So, up goes the painting in the stairwell, and off I go to the florist to put the finishing touches on the house for the arrival of my family to their new home.

It is a good day.