Day of preparation

Preparing for the rainy season involves making a list of rain gear and more. There are a lot of things to think of in response to the “weepy season.”

My nephew Pannon asked my aunt Tita Blitte to buy him a new raincoat and a pair of rubber boots. “It’s to fight off the rain and muddy roads, Lola,” he told his grandaunt just this week. “I want to be ready when school opens. I don’t like the rainy season, but I know plants need a drink of water from heaven.”

“My, my, that’s very profound for a little kid like you,” said Peetong, the husband of my cousin Dona.

“What’s profound? I only know I’m preparing myself with a list of stuff I need for the rainy days, Uncle Peet,” Pannon said.

“That reminds me. Thanks to you, Pannon, I just remembered I need a new jacket that I can wear at the office. And while I’m at it, I will buy a pair of rain shoes. I really hate having mud and dirty rainwater on my feet,” my niece Kyrstalle said.

Her sister Ellen said she had to have some waterproof mascara. “Ever the vain little girl,” my Uncle Gustave teased her. “Why don’t you add waterproof bag, skirt, shirt, lipstick and hair gel?”

Although Ellen laughed, she had a repartee: “Uncle, they haven’t invented those yet, unless you want to be the chemist and fashion designer to do it.”

Tita Blitte joined the mild fracas. “I have a list for our day of preparation. Our larder is half-full. I need to replenish it with some canned Spanish sardines, mackerel in oil, tuna in brine and sardines in tomato sauce. Hmm, I have to add noodles, instant coffee, a dozen eggs, garlic and fresh vegetables.”

“Auntie, add some sotanghon noodles and spinach spaghetti. Oh, I like hot sotanghon soup on a rainy day,” Dona said.

Peetong, who is a health buff, said: “I have checked our treadmill and stationary bike. They’re working well. It’s good to work out indoors on a rainy day.”

“I checked the medicine cabinet. We’re well stocked with medicine for fever, cough and colds. It’s good to have these in case some of us get the sniffles,” Dona said. “The expiration dates are two years away, so we’re fine.”

Uncle Gustave said, “Blit, review your recipes. I like the macaroni soup you made last year when we had the rainy days. Include your monggo soup cooked with kamunggay, kalabasang pula and string beans. That makes up my list for our day of preparation.”

“How about you, Obz?” Dona asked.

I took their lists and told them I could use some junk food for when I watch movies from my smart phone.

Now it’s my turn to ask anyone out there reading this: What is on your Day of Preparation list?