The First Rain?

We have heard that the rainy season will come early this year. The dates are usually from June 15 – October 15 and, therefore, if last night was the first rain of the season it is, in fact, early.

This is terrific as it has been quite warm and already the temperatures have dropped to a very pleasant level.

I was out to dinner with two friends last night and one of my companions said that she heard rain drops. I had heard nothing but saw the waiters looking out the windows. I ask him if it was raining in my best Spanish and he replied that it was.

Within minutes there was a torrential downpour complete with thunder and lightning. We were at Pedro’s “Go” restaurant and had a wonderful view of the storm. Wonderful until we started to get rained on through the open windows. We were hastily moved to a drier table and continued to enjoy our excellent dinner. We had parked the car quite a distance from the restaurant and were in no hurry to navigate the wet, slippery cobblestones in the darkness to get to our vehicle. So we leisurely enjoyed desserts and Earl Grey tea and decaf cappuccino.

When the rain had slowed down we paid our bill and ventured outside. One of my friends was driving a car that she had never driven at night and did not know where the lights and windshield wipers switches were. I emailed her this morning and she did manage to figure it out and got home safely having to choose between a large puddle and a little mud to get to her car.

Naturally, we were all wearing our smart little shoes and mine were satin. Who knew it was going to rain last night?

We were picking our way carefully back to the car when I saw in front of us what looked like a river that we needed to ford. I did what I have often done, when having drinks at La Nueva Posada in Ajjic, Lake Chapala during the rainy season and that is take off my shoes and venture barefoot through the torrent rushing down the street. This too can be fraught with hidden dangers such as broken glass or various insects but it is always worth the risk to save my shoes.

On arriving home safely, thanks to my friend who is an excellent driver, I opened the front door to puddles of water flowing down the front hall into the dining room. My husband had put towels in front of the door which were saturated as was our front door mat.

Although it may sound that I am complaining I am not. It this is truly the start of the rainy season and not just a teaser I, like most residents, will be thrilled to welcome the most beautiful season of the year in our wonderful village in the sun.