May 21st, 2018

You know that old saying about, "April showers bringing May flowers"?  Well that doesn't apply to Florida.  In April, we were still in our dry season.  Usually the wet season doesn't begin until June.  This year we have jumped the gun and it has been raining for the past two weeks.  A Lot.  And just FYI, flowers have been blooming all along.

June 1st is the beginning of "hurricane season", which as you know is everyone's favourite season and that is still about ten days out. But this was the sky we saw as we were driving over the Venice Avenue bridge on Saturday on our way to Sonny's BBQ around 5 o'clock.  So it should have been a bright sunny sky and not this apocalyptic looking horizon.  Don't worry. It was all dramadramadrama in appearance.  It was just a normal ordinary gullywashwer of a rainstorm. We watched from the safety of the inside the restaurant while eating some amazing BBQ.  By the time we were finished, so was the worst of the storm.

It does look pretty darned impressive though, doesn't it.   When we first moved here, when I saw a sky like that, especially this time of year, I was would get worried.  "Uh-oh" or in Scoobie-speak, "Ruh-Roh".  Scary looking sky!  Time to panic!  And wherever I was, I would head for shelter top speed.  Until the day I got caught out on my bike too far from home or shops and I just well,  I got wet.  I didn't melt.  My bike didn't melt either. It was no big deal. Who knew?  Now I just make sure I always have a snack-sized zippy bag with me to put my hearing aids in and otherwise, it's just it's not a big deal.

During the rainy season, if you don't go outside for worry that you might get wet, you won't go outside at all.  And that is something I won't do. That said, I still avoid grocery shopping in the rain.  It's not like it's an open-air grocery store. (That would be ridiculous!)  but walking to the store wet, and then around the store in the air conditioning getting chilled, every step making that wet shoe squelching sound, hair dripping …..yuck.  And then back out into the rain pushing a fiddlywheeled carriage through puddles that splash dirty wet onto me, groceries getting drenched  - how about a nice soaking wet box of cheerios?....no thank you very much please.

Otherwise, it's just rain.  I remember way back when my boys were little and they had to walk down a very long driveway to wait for the bus to school each day.   On stormy looking days I would urge them to wear their galoshes and raincoats (hoods up please) and they did for awhile until one day, rebellion reared it's ugly head. " No, they didn't wish to wear their rain gear.  Rain gear looks stupid", I was told, and "what's more", they continued," it's not even raining right now. It only looks like it might rain."  Trying to be logical I countered, "Well what happens if it starts to rain, what will do you do then?" .  The oldest one looked me in the eye and said, "Well I guess we will get wet then".  Can't argue with logic like that.

Way back then we lived on a working farm.  As is not uncommon, that driveway was not paved and there was a big old divot down toward the gate.  When the dirt was dry it was just a lurching pothole that we knew to avoid.  After a good rain, it was filled with water and since it was, as I said,  a dirt driveway, it was filled with luscious muddy water.  An irresistable magnet for three little boys. I had absolutely no problem with them splashing around in that muddy water making a mess, (after school of course).  A neighbor called to rat them out, certain that I had no idea what they were doing.  "Do you know what your boys are doing?"  she said in a nasty sort of say (everything she said sounded like that actually now that I think about it)  "Yes" I answered, "Yes I do"  "Oh really?"  She crowed, "Did you know that they are getting filthy dirty playing in that giant puddle down by your gate?"  "Yes, actually I do know that"  I answered calmly.  "But why would you allow that, they are getting disgustingly filthy?" she sputtered.  "The kids and their clothes are all washable. But thanks for calling" I said and hung up.  Kids and puddles are practically synonymous!

See what I've learned from my children?  They were always so smart ;)