Storms and a lull

Pardon my absence Saturday, but the skies opened just at the end of the coronation ball, killing Bahama Village's Goombay festival for the rest of Friday -- and then the rains went on into Saturday morning, then all day, and then into the night.

On some parts of the island, cars were over their hubcaps. We took in a movie at the Tropic and then took refuge in the Sippin Java Cafe and spent a while over cappuccinos with Penny, the owner, talking water levels, tax rates and home improvement.

"Ohmigod," she said at one point, "you're the windows guy! We were talking about you last night at Square One."

But Goombay was rained out. We went home in drizzle, dried off and made a chef's salad that we ate on the porch in the downpour. I feel so sorry for the purveyors who had so much food ready for the street fair, only to see it go to waste.

Sunday, which you see here, complete with our new flag and some recovering hibiscus, was perfectly post-storm clear. Of course, there were no major events scheduled to match such fine weather. But the new king and queen made the bar rounds, basking in the clear light and bowing to rounds of applause.