I can't tell you how many cities I've heard claim the phrase that best describes the weather in their city is "If you don't like it, wait five minutes and it'll change." There are probably a few areas—I'm thinking Southern California probably falls in this category—where they don't claim to have ever-changing weather. But in London, it really does seem to be true. Except that in five minutes, it's probably goig to change for the worse.
The rain just comes out of nowhere; I wake up to mostly sunny skies and figure it might actually be a nice day—I am wrong. I will head out, go somewhere, and several hours later, without fail, I will emerge from whatever building I have been inside of and discover that either it has been raining or that it is currently raining.
I've finally resorted to carrying an umbrella with me at all times.
The problem is I have umbrella-carrying issues. I'm just not coordinated enough to handle one most of the time; they're awkward and get blown out by the wind and mostly, I end up being very, very afraid of poking people's eyes out.
I comfort myself with the knowledge that at least my umbrella is not overly large and obnoxious; it's not curved in one of those dome-shaped ways that is probably relatively practical in terms of protection-from-the-elements but very obnoxious for those who are trying to walk near you on the street. Especially if it's a large dome. With metal spikey things on the tips.
Today, at least, it is sunny and I can enjoy that for a moment or two—maybe even an entire five minutes.
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Replies: 8
all hail golf umbrellas (they are kind of scary, esp when short people use them.)
Posted by faith @ 11/16/2002 03:54 PM EST
I was just disussing the rain...and you the other day...and how it must suck to have it rain all the time because I can't even take it here when it rains for 3 days in a row. And I just hate the way that people don't seem to know how to coordinate their umbrella holding efforts while walking the city...grrr
Posted by zara @ 11/17/2002 02:04 PM EST
It does suck, but it's sort of part of the charm of London as well... in a weird way.
Posted by Caroline @ 11/17/2002 05:51 PM EST
well, that's funny, because i like to refer to those people as umbrella bastards, and i was also in london this weekend, and though i've never met you, i found myself wondering if i'd walk by you on the street somewhere. been reading your blog for awhile. figured i'd say hi. :)
Posted by elli @ 11/17/2002 06:29 PM EST
caroline - i wish you were online or next door so i could yell for you to cheer me on in my manic-depressive-procrastinating state.
Posted by nancy @ 11/19/2002 12:59 AM EST
you know, in bozeman it's better because we quite often get two different weathers at once. like warm and snowy or sunny and rainy. (of course, i'm beginning to think of 40 as warm, so that might skew my perspective a bit.)
Posted by shaun @ 11/19/2002 11:20 PM EST
18d3ae3b6f306616e446002049af55be f7104.
Posted by f4debba @ 03/05/2005 08:36 PM EST
d8c2a8e78905cf1aa001c6a81e437072 0e1e.
Posted by f4debba @ 03/05/2005 08:37 PM EST
the sun really was terrific.