Showers

The past couple days have been a bit cooler here. It's refreshing to drink a cup of coffee without breaking a sweat. Yesterday another storm rolled through. The storms come quickly here. I hear a low rumble in the distance, and in a matter of minutes, the rain swoops in along with sudden gusts of wind. Before I know it, my curtains are blowing wildly, knocking Tupperware off the counter top onto the floor. Rain sprays inside the house as I quickly close windows - but not all the way because I love the sound of thunder and rain falling on pavement.

On Sunday around 6 pm, a storm brought a torrential downpour. When it rains here, water accumulates everywhere. The ground is too dry and hard to absorb it and the drainage system is nearly non-existent, causing roads to be flooded. We were planning to go to the market in Arteaga, and decided to head out despite the rain. By the time we reached the market, the storm had subsided and the sun even came out. It's amazing how quickly storms form and fall apart.

Rain water splashing over our car from the flooded roads

The water rushes by like a river because the drainage system is not very good

We bought a large chicharron (pork rind) from Pedro - who owns a restaurant near the market

After the storm

Yesterday, we once again had problems with our power. Flipping the breaker switch has become a common part of my daily routine. When the electric goes out, it also causes the water to go off. Which is mainly a problem when I'm in the shower. I have come to appreciate taking showers in Michigan. I usually get hot water - which is a rare thing here, since the pilot blows out everyday. I don't have to check for large spiders or gigantic moths. I have water pressure and don't have to struggle to find a tiny stream of water strong enough to rinse the soap out of my hair. And most importantly, I don't worry that the water will shut off without notice. This is the most annoying aspect of showers in Mexico. Of course, it usually happens when I conveniently have large amounts shampoo lathered in my hair. As I lean my head back to rinse it out, the water stops. It's like some cruel joke. The first time this happened, I nearly burst into tears. It was a cold day. I was wet. I had an enormous amount of shampoo in my hair, and running down my back. So I grabbed my towel, ran down the hall, slid across the marble floor - which was now doused with water and shampoo making the surface much like a skating rink. The cat found this to be a wildly entertaining new game and began to chase me, swiping at my towel with his front claws, missing, and scratching my leg. When I reached the other end of the house and switched the breaker, it turned on, then off. On, off. On, off. That's when the tears came. Finally, after a few more desperate attempts, the electricity clicked back on and I hurriedly rinsed off, appalled at what just happened.

Yesterday, I flipped the breaker and nothing happened. Everything was dead. No electricity and no water for most of the afternoon. I spent the rest of the day reading. The electricity is back today - so far. The water, too. However, I have yet to take a shower because I'm terrified the water will go off for good and I'll be stuck with soap in my hair.