Of blow outs, dancing and even a rat

Or, the rainy season is here

Earlier this fall, in the second or third day of September, I thought the rainy season had arrived. True, we did have a couple of days of rain and clouds, but then we were back to 90 and blue skies. Over the following month temperatures moderated into highs of low 80s and even the 70s. Mid October has brought us heavy clouds and fierce rains. Just like last year. Next year I won’t be fooled into thinking a few rainy days is the rainy season.

Being in the new apartment has brought an unexpected pleasure - the small forest (yes, yes, I know that 8 trees does not a forest make, but allow me flights of fancy) outside our window has taken to dancing in the winds. The wild gyrations of the tree tops is endlessly fascinating. It makes me think of watching a kaleidoscope do its magic.

I headed to lunch to a new to me restaurant that’s practically at the end of my street. The long end, but still. Called El Pipe it features empanadas. We’d seen that it exists for months now, but it has not been open. Many businesses here have a permanently closed feel to them. They don’t have a little note taped to the metal shutters that say what time they are open, for example. Since I’d never been by it other than on the dog walks at 7 am, 4 pm, I thought it was a temptation I would never taste. I was startled when my friend wanted to meet at this closed place. She assured me it is open. They are open from 12 - 3 and 7 - 10. The empanadas were great.

But you’ve gotten me off my point. Since my street follows a ridge, I climbed no hills on my way to El Pipe, which felt very odd indeed. However, each cross street played havoc with my umbrella. I am NOT a fan of an umbrella that plays tricks on you, so for my second umbrella (the first one broke during one such trick), I’d made sure to get one that has vents and more spines. This is, apparently, the trick to getting an umbrella that doesn’t suddenly decide to leave you at the mercy of the elements. Despite my careful planning, this new umbrella decided that the gusts at each cross street merited a blow out. Not quite the same as the mysterious blow out that women sometimes get at the hair dresser. I’m ruminating as I go along, trying to figure out something I could do that would hold the darn umbrella from doing its ruthless dance, when I realized that the strap that goes around the umbrella when it is closed was hanging in front of me. One hand on the pole, and the other pulling on the strap, I made it the rest of the way with my umbrella intact. Not the easiest of solutions, but effective. Sadly, I didn’t discover this trick in time to prevent me from feeling like a drowned rat, despite my raincoat.

Apparently someone else felt the same way about their umbrella.

I mentioned this to a friend, and she told me I’m not dressing right. I need to wear a short dress or skirt with a raincoat that goes to my knees, and thin tights. She’s absolutely right. Now I’m resigned to more clothes shopping. At least I have waterproof hiking boots!

Photo lifted from Pinterest to demonstrate the type of outfit I should be looking for.

Wish me luck shopping!

That’s all for now.

Love from Lisbon,

Amy