The Rainy Season

Still Raining...
Our view from the hill has looked like this for days and days now...It is the "Rainy Season" here in Okinawa, and rain it has! Now, coming from Pacific Northwest, we thought "Rainy Season? Big deal! We're used to rain!". Well, let me tell ya, Okinawa rain is a bit different! When it rains, it RAINS. It can go from nothing to torrential downpour in mere seconds. A downpour here is rain coming down so hard and fast you can't even see- and there is often a wind driving the wind sideways so umbrellas are next to useless.
What it means on a daily basis: walking through ankle deep water to take out the trash...having a dog who doesn't want to go out in the soggy, squishy backyard... wiping up muddy dog prints off the floors...remembering to bring umbrellas in from the car (irritating to be in the house ready to leave and realize it is POURING and all of the umbrellas are in the car)...
According to today's Stars and Stripes newspaper, we have received nearly 13 inches of rain in the last week alone. Since the start of the rainy season on May 18th almost 20 inches of rain have fallen. There had been talk of water rationing due to low reservoir levels, but those fears have eased a bit. We are still "drier than usual" and the rainy season is predicted to end next week.
The thought of water rationing while living on a subtropical island seems strange- everything is so green and lush! Since we've been here, we have not been allowed to water the lawns or wash the cars in housing areas.

I'm going to enjoy the rain while it lasts though...welcome breath of fresh air from the humidity and heat.