And here comes the summer rain....

One of the things about Florida in the summer is the rain. Nine months out of the year we are dry. Our flowers wither, our yards turn brown, and our skin begs for moisture. Then June comes and hurricane season starts and each evening we can look into the sky and see dark clouds and hear rumblings. Most of the time we get a summer shower that lasts anywhere from 3 minutes to 30 minutes. Very rarely does it last an hour.

Now that I have relatives visiting the summer season has started with a bang and been way out of the ordinary. We have had rain continuously for several days. It will stop for awhile and then sprinkle and then pour. We have swam in the pool in the rain. We have gotten caught at the mall in the rain. Today we decided to beach it and of course we got caught in the rain!

It started out quite lovely. The sun was actually peeking through the clouds and Susan was getting her tan on.

My little ones headed straight for the water, remembering to do the stingray shuffle, although the critters were not spotted all day.

Gabby kept her clothes on in the beginning as she and her mother walked the beach collecting shells...

and playing ball.

I feel asleep on the beach with my mouth opened and thankfully no one photographed that. Kelly and the girls brought out the inflatable boat with oars that Kelly's family had purchased earlier in their vacation. I awoke and went out into the water where 3 dolphin were frolicking not far from the buoys. Gabby, Darcy, Madison, Kelly and I played in the boat while the sky darkened and drops of rain fell.

We didn't mind it. The water was warm and the rain cold. We swam and played and giggled and laughed. The girls took turn in the boat. I lay on the raft holding on to the boat. Kelly pulled us all around the water. Susan watched from shore because, "someone should be on dry land in case someone gets into trouble."

Eventually the rain began to come down a tad more forceful. Susan opted to head back to dryness. I suggested we all join her so we hauled out the boat, packed it up, and began heaving it down the walkway toward Kelly's. And still the rain came. By the time we reached her beach house the streets were flooded and we were soaked.

But after showering and changing into dry clothes we felt satisfaction that we had actually gotten in a semi-beach day.