Drowned Rats to Warm Bunnies

People forget that it rains here. Not just rains - it absolutely pours when it gets going. And I'm not talking about tourists and visitors: I'm talking about the locals. We left home this morning in bright sunshine but while we were in Reth clouds poured in from the sea, thunder rolled around and, sure enough, the heavens opened and dropped a week's worth of winter rain in a matter of moments. Odd, because it was really warm.

Roads, ill paved and badly maintained, turned into rivers of rain that flowed heedlessly over ones feet soaking shoes and socks alike. Girls with those drooping jeans so favoured by the young had water wicking up the backs of their legs. Drivers rushed through puddles at 50 kph oblivious of pedestrians running for cover from the tidal waves that they were pushing up onto the pavements. Rivers ran in the gutters and lakes formed everywhere. Storm drains are an unknown here. As I said, people forget that it rains - especially the local authorities.

We had taken refuge in Figaro and were enjoying a frappe when it began to rain indoors! The clear roof panels above the enclosed garden were leaking where they abut the walls. Water streamed down the stairs to the upstairs toilets. The tree above Gill was dropping leaves onto our table. The staff occasionally wiped down the tables and once someone came and placed a rainwater receptacle beside our table. So that'll be alright then!

We bought an umbrella and carried on with our business as if nothing were amiss despite the fact that I could feel the steam rising from my shirt. Everybody did likewise. Shops selling umbrellas must have had a windfall today. We just carried on and finished up what we had come for ignoring the inclemency - once you are wet it makes little difference how much wetter you get and after a while you really aren't going to get any wetter!

Back home we unpacked the car during a brief respite and then changed into dry clothing: the wet stuff is hanging yet in the bathroom. Fortunately we had had the foresight to bring in yesterday's washing before we left. The girls had had the sense to stay inside their kennel and were dry and warm when we brought them indoors. As for us, well we dried fairly quickly and a good hot meal later on will complete the transformation from drowned rats to warm bunnies.