(Happened on September 24th.)

As part of purposely enjoying my unemployed days, I walk Mary to Kindergarten.  The school is about a mile away and we leave at 8:00 am for a class start at 8:40 am.  This way we do not hurry and Mary also gets some playtime at the school playground.  We take Mary’s Razr scooter and she scooters part of the way while I jog alongside.  Then, I take the scooter back— a faster trip without the stops and it is also mostly downhill.   When I picture my ideal day, this relaxed time in the outdoors with my daughter is part of it.

Today, it was not so ideal.  Dark clouds have been gathering all morning and the ground was wet.  At 7:53 am, when “Go, Diego, Go” ended, we were ready to set out.  By this time, outside, it was drizzling.  I expressed my dismay and Mary said, “Does it mean I can’t go to school?” “No, it means I would have to drive you.”  Driving her to school is not something I like doing, I do not like the inevitable traffic in front of the school.  “Augghh, I can’t scooter???” (Mary said that and I thought the same thing.)  “We have a few minutes before we have to go, maybe the rain would stop by then, we’ll see.”

I remembered that I may have a rain poncho somewhere so we set out to look for it while we were waiting.  Did not find the poncho.

By 8:00 am, the rain has turned to a very light sprinkle so we put on rain jackets and set off.  About a third of the way in, it turned to a hard sprinkle, a few minutes later, a light rain, by the time we got two-thirds of the way, it started to really rain.  Mary’s jacket material was only water-resistant but mine was made of like tarp material.  My mama bear instincts kicked in and I took off my rain jacket and put it on top of hers. 

And god bless my daughter, she kept asking me if I was ok— my long-sleeved shirt was starting to get soaked and I had water dripping down my nose., Mary was feeling sorry for me that I had to give her my jacket.   But, she looked like she kept dry inside though her pant legs were getting very wet. 

For a little while there, it reminded me of rainy days in the Philippines when my Mom would let us “bathe” in the rain.  A good rain in the tropics was always a welcome treat— the best way to cool off.  Then, if you are lucky enough to have a downspout close by that provided a nice waterfall…   

Got Mary inside her classroom before it turned to a really heavy downpour.  I waited around inside the classroom hoping and waiting that it will clear up soon.  Then, my savior came in with her granddaughter.  Kathy, who I’ve talked to on the phone RSVP’ing for her granddaughter’s birthday party, who I’ve chatted with this past week while we wait for our kindergartners, whose said party Mary and I enjoyed yesterday— Kathy came in and I know she drove and I know whe would give me a ride.

By this time, 2-4 inch deep puddles and running water was all over the school grounds and parking lot and it has gotten colder.  We looked like wet ducks when we climbed into her Lexus SUV.  Five minutes later, we were in my driveway and it has started hailing— very small ice pellets mixed in with the rain. (pellets were about mung bean size ga-monggo, not large enough to hurt you or damage cars.)  Just getting out of the car and getting my scooter from the back compartment gave me another soaking.

As I walked inside my house, this voice kept saying in my head, “take a shower now or you’d get sick….”  It sounded so much like my mother, only she was speaking in English.  When I was a kid, I could not understand why when you are already wet, by getting yourself more wet (by taking a shower), it’s supposed to be healthier????!!!!  I was a dutiful daughter (and even if you weren’t, my Mom can be quite forceful…) and so I took my showers after those nice “baths” in the rain or when I would just get caught without an umbrella coming home.  And I am still a dutiful daughter so after hanging up my soaked rain jacket and peeling off my wet clothes, I got into a nice, hot shower.  And I did not get sick.  Thanks, Mom!