November 2nd, 2005

I ride my bicycle to work. It isn't raining, nor does it rain all day while I am at work. It still isn't raining when I finish work. I run a few quick errands and then go to get on my bike when (and I know you see this coming) suddenly the sky opens up and it begins to pour rain. POUR RAIN, REALLY REALLY HARD. Cats and friggin' dogs. It is raining so hard I can barely see in front of me. I am not a great cyclist in the best of times. Taking into consideration I am downtown where the bike lanes are totally pathetic, this seems to me beyond my ability. I pull out my umbrella and try walking my bike with one hand while holding the umbrella with the other. It is downhill and a bit difficult. I grow desperate and decide to stuff my umbrella handle down the side of my shirt. I manage to wedge it in so that it protrudes from under my clothing up alongside the side of my neck and over my head. Now both my hands are free to walk my bike. Thankfully it isn't too windy. I walk all the way home like this. No-one seems alarmed by the fact that my umbrella is being miraculously held open without the aid of my hands. It takes an hour. When I get home I reach in my pack for my keys to lock up my bike and I can't find them. I dump the entire contents of my bag on the floor when I get inside (on the lucky side, my boyfriend was home to let me in). The keys are nowhere. They must have somehow fallen from my bag during the treacherous walk home. I now need to get new keys made and buy a new bike lock. I am freezing so I get in the shower. When I get out I grab my towel only to watch a ferocious spider crawl from beneath it. Damn. I hate spiders.