A NICE AFTERNOON

We finally got rid of Dtim's friend La this afternoon (my wife told me that she, too, was getting tired of La constantly coming over unannounced) and decided to spend the rest of the day in Nai Harn.   We drove to the lagoon a short distance from the beach and had a nice time sitting on the little island in the middle of the lake.  Dtim ate sunflower seeds and did some crochet work, I did a bit of reading while watching Alex play.  He'd spent most of the drive over singing at the top of his lungs and so was in a very hyper mood.  At one point he found some twigs and began drumming on my little plastic chair and the picnic hamper.  But nowadays when he plays in this way he seems to be very careful to not disturb mama and papa too much.  He truly is becoming a respectful little boy.

Around 5:30 the clouds began darkening and we could hear thunder in the distance so we decided it would be a good time to head for home.  But as we rounded the bend overlooking the southern part of Nai Harn Beach we could see a dark squall line just a short distance offshore.  The rain was coming heavy and fast.  Luckily, it was a short distance to my favorite Mexican restaurant in all of Thailand — Los Amigos Cantina.  We made it there just moments before the sky opened up with a torrential downpour.

We enjoyed our dinner and I overdid it a bit since it'd been quite some time since our last visit to Los Amigos.  I ordered a cheese nacho appetizer for us to share and then had my usual order of a Combination Plate (Mexican fried rice, refried beans, chicken enchilada, beef taco) with an extra taco.  This time I could barely finish the second taco but was able to wash it down with a pineapple shake (which I rarely order anywhere anymore).  Alex finished his two chicken enchiladas but we needed a box for his Mexican fried rice (Dtim's favorite as well).  He was oddly subdued during dinner (no naughtiness in sight); perhaps he wore himself out with his vigorous drumming at the lake.

We drove home in a steady drizzle which increased the closer we got to Casa de Jochim.  No worries as we were all protected under our rain gear.  I might mention here that I'm always amused at the other Thai motorbike drivers during rainstorms.  They NEVER put on a raincoat (usually those thin trashbag-type ponchos available for 20 baht at any soi shop) until it has already begun to pour despite the usual signs of ominous clouds and increased wind.  And then half again of the riders/drivers don't even bother with any protective gear at all.  Indeed, the majority of those who try to avoid the rain while driving do so by pulling their shirts up over their heads (including the drivers) or trying to cover themselves with an umbrella.  It always makes me laugh to see some pour motorbike driver riding in the heavy rain with a flimsy umbrella pointed in front of them.

Anyway, I have been spoiled by this year's seemingly early start to the rainy season (called the "green" season in Phuket).  Most days over the past two or three weeks have been overcast and fairly cool with morning, midday, afternoon, evening, and overnight thundershowers.  These storms typically blow through within a fifteen- or thirty-minute span and then an hour or two or more go by before the next storm.  We've (mostly) been successful at not getting rained on while going to and from school but sometimes we have to cancel planned errands (such as trips to the hypermarts) rather than risk getting soaked.  But the air has been pleasant and sometimes I clear my mind by standing on the third-floor balcony watching the incoming storms approach (especially spectacular when they come over the mountains to the east).  One night we were even treated to the most spectacular lightning show I've ever seen and that includes some dramatic ones observed while living in one of America's prime lighting-viewing areas.  The bolts were traveling down to the ground and back up to the clouds and jumping from side to side as well.  I managed to capture some of this on film as well!

But yesterday and most of today were just plain hot.  And so muggy that I felt I was living back in northeast Kansas and truly wilted whenever I attempted to do anything remotely strenuous.  At least we had a nice breeze while at the lake and that helped to make it an enjoyable afternoon.  If nothing else, it was nice to get out of the house and away from making lesson plans and trying to figure out first-week ice-breakers and games for school.