Windy Wellie: 1, Cheap Umbrellas: 0

The girls and I took the bus out to Ngaio today to turn in the school paperwork and meet the girls' teachers. When we were there last Friday Zoe's teacher was out all day at a training, and they hadn't yet decided where to place Haley. Both teachers are young and warm and were very sweet and assuring to the girls. Their classmates were dying to talk to the girls and show them the classrooms, and several bemoaned the fact that the girls wouldn't start until after the break.

On our way from the bus stop to the school, we got caught in a brief but formidable rain. We had come prepared in our rain gear and an umbrella for that extra layer of protection. Hahahaha! The flimsily made umbrella (I picked it up at the 2 Dollar Store) was no match for the gale force winds. Up until this point, I had commented several times to Steve how no one around here ever carries an umbrella, and now I think I know why. The wind here laughs at umbrellas. I swear it delighted in it's destruction as my poor, pretty, pastel-colored parasol succumbed to forces greater than were intended for it's purpose. I only wish I'd had the camera with me to show you what became of my poor umbrella, it's metal ribs contorted and bent, and it's tips come undone from the fabric. Oh, well. Lesson learned. They don't call it Windy Wellie for nothing.