Leap Day Diary

When I am leave for work, I am totally put together. Clothing freshly ironed, hair styled (well sort of), makeup in place. By the time I get to work 40 minutes later, I'm wrinkled, my hair has done its own thing, and I swear the makeup has blown off. Not to mention what charming effects those hot flashes can have on an outfit.



Today was an outstanding example of just how put together I can be. Pressed, dressed and ready to go, I open the garage door, and it's pouring rain.


And I'm walking almost a mile to the T (trolley for you non Pittsburghers) stop because my car is in the shop. (See blog post "What?!" January)






I am wearing my old, trusty, long, LL Bean water repellent raincoat. I open my umbrella and start out. Within 50 feet, my left arm is soaked. The wind is blowing rain up into the underside of the umbrella. Cars pass by and I try to avoid being splashed which only results in soaking my shoes in mud. My right arm is soaked, and my tote bag is dripping. I can see curls (!) forming in front of my eyes.


Now, I ask you what exactly is water repellent? It's a scam, that's what it is. I am here to tell you LL Bean seriously misled me on this coat. I needed paper towels when I got to work to dry my arms!


My legs are soaked and covered in goosebumps. I'm wearing pantyhose - sopping wet, mud spattered, cold pantyhose. So, with a few minutes to spare at the T stop, I go into the Rite Aid next door to buy dry pantyhose. (I don't know why but the three drug stores downtown only carry pantyhose that would be useful if I were in sales - and I don't mean retail.) I purchase L'Eggs Queensize. My rationale is that because they are rather ... ample... they should be easy to pull on.


I ride for 40 minutes; cold, wet, windblown. I plunk down my bag at my desk, and go straight to the ladies room. What-the- harry happened to my perfectly straight hair? I look like Orphan Annie! *sigh... I go into the tiny, teeny stall to change out of the soaking wet hose. Queensize? Only if the Queen was a 3 year old! This is, without a doubt, the smallest pair of hose I have E V E R owned. They don't even go all the up to my waist, and they are so tight around my legs that I believe I lost circulation in my ankles by lunchtime.


The one bright thing about today.... I got my car back.