Rain...

...is supposed to make me happy. I like to sit and watch the rain. I like the coolness that it brings. I like the smell of the air after a heavy shower. I like the pitter patter sounds of raindrops falling. And I like to drive in the rain sometimes.

But these last few days, rain is one thing that sends my stress level up. The water table is rather high now. The ground is still soggy from the recent flood. Puddles of water can still be seen at many places and what used to be grassy fields are now soft.

Yesterday evening, we had a thunderstorm. We had an intense and heavy downpour for about 1/2 an hour. I was at a friend's house having tea with Thomas and Marie. Despite the heavy downpour, a neighbour rang the doorbell and to our horror, there was already about 4-6 inches of water on the road! Apparently the rain was causing flash flood everywhere. My kids phoned and told me that the strong winds had blown my cardboard boxes onto the floor and that my backyard was turning into a 'swimming pool'.

I rushed back despite the heavy rain. The roads leading to my house were flooded between 4-6 inches too! It was a relief to be home with my kids. Then the rain tapered off and water started receding. Phone calls started coming in; about water entering the house, bathrooms, etc. And it took only half an hour of heavy rain to do that.

This afternoon the skies were dark again and with it the stress level went up too. Aiyo! The rainy season is just starting. It usually floods in the lower areas in December. The rainy season has finally begun but I guess this time around, many of us are jittery about it.

And later that night, we went to the shopping complex. We took extra care not to park our cars in the basement; and many were doing the same too! LOL! In Jitra, some people went for midnight movie only to come out to discover that the basement car park was flooded. Truly one expensive movie for many of them!