poste la douzième, dans laquelle I HATE IRONY.

I don't like umbrellas.

I did not use them before I lived in Paris where only Americans wear Northface raincoats and everyone and their mother uses an umbrella. But when the forecast turned to Seattle weather but rainier for the foreseeable future, I followed the dripping French crowd to the nearest Monoprix and bought one. MISTAKE #1. Apparently Monoprix (a grocery/clothing/school supply/umbrella/makeup/etc store), which I assumed would be cheaper than someplace like H&M or another clothing/accessory brand store, likes to RIP OFF hapless individuals caught out in the rain. And it was NOT EVEN RAINING yet when I made this purchase. Anyway, the Monoprix brand umbrellas are certainly nothing special, but I could not find one for anything less than 14.90 Euro. Now, since I had never bought an umbrella before because I think they are worthless, I did not have anything concrete to compare this too, but I was pretty sure it was more than I wanted to pay. However, I was wearing a lot of leather (Baens, please forgive me, that is another story and I think it is called The Pearl (or something featuring a hypocrite)) and the weather looked threatening, so I decided to suck it up and buy it, because maybe umbreallas are worth it, I wouldn't know.

When I got to school (dry without help from the umbrella) I asked around for other umbrella-buying experiences, and discovered that the H&M around the corner from school was selling a virtually identical umbrella for the low low price of 6 Euro! Merde!

I ranted about this for a while, but not being familiar with the nuances of returning things in France, I didn't actually do anything about the situation. (Although this weekend I saw an umbrella for only 3 Euro. Damnit Monoprix!) But since then, I have been carrying around that umbrella in my bags, leather or not, so I can at least make use of it. And then today, the first day I forgot to transfer the umbrella between my bags (Mistake #2), IT RAINED. And I, in my soggy down jacket, carrying my mom's leather bag, got soaked. Comme mes enfants français m'ont dit, il pleurait des chats et des chiens.

Aside: Mommy, I would like to take this moment to mention that I sacrificed my left foot to keep your bag dry(ish). I was trying to keep it covered and not looking at my feet, and I stepped into a giant puddle that was really more like a lake. I love you!

And there you have it: irony for the win. I need to go wring out my socks again.

Clare