A rain day off of work. Yes, I said rain.

So, last night it started. The rain was in full force. It wasn't long before Shenzhen (city where I live) was put on a "red rain" status. That means high winds, excessive rain, and possible damage is expected. When we remain in this status for a while, it becomes a safety issue and the government requires schools to be closed. So, here it is, the last day of March, and the rain has kicked in and gave me an extended weekend.

Now, last time we had one of these days, it was in the fall. It had rained ALL night, and they cancelled school. Then, the sun came out and I basically had a free day to play! Unfortunately, that did not happen this time around. Oh, the sun keeps popping out here and there, but it is short lived. In between, the rain keeps coming. It is no longer at a "red" status, but rather just good old fashion "not gonna stop until my clouds are empty" type of rain. This has caused lots of flooding in the lower lying area.

This picture was taken by a friend on his way home from dinner last night. There are several more just like it circulating on the internet today. I am thankful I live up a hill and not near the bay, so this is not my area that is being washed over with the germ infested waters. I have good rain boots and a rain jacket, so I could venture out. BUT, I think I'll keep nice and cozy in my apartment where it is dry. 

On the bright side, I was productive and did my lesson plans for next week! :) Now, I can relax the rest of this week, which is good. I hate to be stressed out before traveling and my girlfriends and I have a vacation planned this weekend (we have off on Friday for a holiday). We're heading to Shanghai. 

"Dear Rain,  Thank you for a Monday off. I appreciated it. Now, it is time for you to stop.  Yours truly, Johanna."