The Rain In Spain Came To Stay

I'm working with a friend to create 19 banners, each approximately 2 ft X 4 ft, for an upcoming soccer festival. Here is the design that the artist rendered.



We are using old banners purchased by another organization, but that organization, being generally nasty and unfriendly to their customers, the local residents, must never find out we are recyling their cast-off materials. We are painting over them and stenciling in the lettering, soccer player and ball using spray paint.

So this afternoon, despite the forecast for rain, we set to work. We painted all the vinyl banners on both sides grey, covering up all the colours and lettering of the previous design. When they dried, we painted the background colours. So far, we've done the orange and green. That's as far as we got today. Even though the sky was overcast all afternoon, neither my friend nor I believed it was going to rain. I mean, c'mon, it's rained for almost a week now, it has to stop some time. It was so warm and sunny this morning, how could we believe it would really rain?

But at some point, the warnings from the sky became more ominous. It started spitting. Still, I thought, it's just teasing. But we had the good sense that it was getting on to 4 o'clock and we need to let the paint dry on the one side before flipping them over to do the other side. So we started putting things away.

As we wrapped up, the sky spat heavier. We hurried. And just as we got the last piece into the garage, the sky went KABOOM and down poured torrential rain with such hefty force we were unable to run into the house from the garage. We started laughing. How lucky was that! We lost no work.

Finally, we braved the rain to run into the house, then we braved the rain again to run into the car so my friend could drive me home. It was one of those rains where your wipers are going but you can't see anything in front of you. The car crept along slowly, moving only when we could see a clearance in front. Good thing we didn't have far to go.

Once I got into the house, thunder clapped and house lights flickered to signal my return. I realized I was covered in paint and hadn't had lunch. The Boy would be home soon; I may even have to pick him up from the subway. Better put my mothering hat back on.