Wednesday, October 5, 2011

DIDN'T IT RAIN?

MOST YEARS the weather turns hot once school starts, but so far this fall, it's been relatively cool and today water is steadily coming down from the sky. Wet water. And on the day that I  got up at 5 to have my hair washed and blown dry ahead of taking Mr. Bob for his chemotherapy session.


Last night, in anticipation of this morning's rain, I asked him if he knew where the umbrella was. "Oh, yes," he sez, sez he. (Thornton Burgess was an author of children's books and I once read that he was paid by the word, therefore there's a lot of "he sez, sez he")


Except that this morning there was no umbrella to be found."Well, it's in the car," he sez. It's quite a walk to the parking lot, some day I'll count the steps. Giving him the bag of unforgettables, I told him I'd come around and pick him up in front. I think he had in mind coming to the car to find the umbrella, but it seemed of little use to me since by then I'd be thoroughly wet and our destination was in a covered parking structure. So I think I kind of barked the instructions as I repeated them. I splashed my way through the puddles, finally, out of breath, reaching my destination, heaved myself into the van and backed up..........but the remote control had no effect on the gate. Over and over I tried. What to do? Mr. Bob had my cell phone, no one was in sight, time was racing and I was going nowhere.


Finally I dared to honk a couple of times, hoping to be heard and Roberto, one of the maintenance crew came running toward me in his yellow slicker and did something magical that allowed me to exit. Mr. Bob doesn't tolerate tardiness, but this time we were fifteen minutes late and he knew it was best not to challenge me on the point.


He did what he had to do......it was just an hour's session this morning.....and as we prepared to head home, a search of the car turned up nothing in the way of an umbrella. I'm ashamed to admit that I drove home with tight lips and hair growing increasingly limp. This is a long-standing issue for us with umbrellas.


I let His Nibs off in front of the Manor where he was just a matter of a few steps from home and seethed my way around a couple of blocks before I decided to go in search of an umbrella. Remember I didn't have the ability to get in the gate......no doubt it was a battery issue. And Mr. Bob frowns at the idea of my parking on the street in front of the Manor. He bristled when someone once left a card, "We buy junk cars".


CVS was the closest place I could think of and since I didn't want one of those modern, collapsible, fancy-schmancy umbrellas, I had a choice between two bumbershoots that were left over from the rush to buy them that the first rainstorm always brings.


I don't think we'll overlook this giant, redder-than-red one with
G.L.E.N.D.A.L.E  emblazoned on the side. Of course there's really nowhere either to store it or let it drip dry, but it was a perfect out-picturing of what I was feeling at the time.




And to top it off, I parked on the street.


Really, he shouldn't have commented on how prematurely I step on the brake in wet weather. He's a better driver than I, but one without  a license, more's the pity. And besides that, he's not the only one with cancer.

BEWARE! MAD WOMAN AT LARGE!

"When angry, count four; 
when very angry, swear."  
                                                             ~Mark Twain




14 comments:

  1. I would suspect that someone has been murdered for less. Love the umbrella. XO

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  2. Who goes there that tutted me?

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  3. This is an umbrella that cannot lose itself. It just looks that way.....

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  4. "He's a better driver than I, but one without a license, more's the pity. And besides that, he's not the only one with cancer."
    I think those lines rival, "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times..."
    ~MJ
    One of my favorite lines when friends/family are complaining is, "I'll see you, and I'll raise you..."

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  5. You really had one of THOSE mornings and by all accounts, I think you handled it with perfect aplomb. And just think, if none of it had happened, you wouldn't now possess that lovely, lovely umbrella. I think you deserve a nice hot fudge Sunday

    _Robin

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  6. Oh, I'll bet that was Chris referring to "Tut, tut, it looks like rain." How slow I was on the uptake. I thought someone was shaming me for my attitude

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  7. Attitude? You have been wonderful! Keep on being JANE ! Love and hugs

    A Non Y Mouse

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  8. Oh jane..You got a perfect day ..One you that would give you something to write to us about. And oh my.....I have at least 50 umbrellas of all shapes and sizes, but i do not, have one with Glendale on the side!!! I hope you know we loved this share!! You are just being Jane!! Love it!

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  9. this type of day warrants a decadent curl up with good yarn and even better hot chocolate.

    denise f in c'ville va

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  10. It won't let me post.......................Susan H writes: How did the Hair do hold up. I too love the umbrella. And enjoy your new found confidence in dealing with dad's sometimes difficult comments, intended to be helpful. Now that Ryan has his drivers license I can't use the line, "may I see your driver's license" when he comments on my driving. Actually he has his own vehicle now but when I would brake abruptly he would go limp and play dead.

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  11. Wonderful - humanity at it's most human ! Go for it Jane ! And mind that gorgeous umbrella doesn't walk away by itself ! They sometimes get wanderlust !!!!!!!!

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  12. P.S I like the red background MUCH better !

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  13. Just returned from Denver today...after waking up to the first snow of the season!!! It was exciting and fun to see but I'm happy to be back in the land of sun. We have to smile when we lose our umbrellas because they are SO seldom needed. I think I'll come down to visit my dear Glendale friends and get myself and umbrella just like yours. T.O. Joanne

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