CHAPTER THREE-GETTING THE GEAR

6:00 pm Pacific Time. Portland OR_12.20.2015

 

I'm soaked after a rainy walk to and from the supermarket

Dearest Readers,

Fall and Winter in Portland means almost daily rain and more rain, again and again. I was warned, but I didn’t really believe it. That’s me in the picture above walking back from the supermarket–drenched–in my London Fog trench coat with not enough fabric water repellant.  Sometimes the rain is just a gentle mist. At other times there’s a downpour for an hour, or a nice drip-drop under a passing black cloud. We’ve had a few days of solid precip that created puddles like ponds, that kids slopped through at a local park I attended with grandson Henry. Three Moms looked on, comforted I guess by the fact that all the children were protected by tall rubber boots, rain jackets and hoods. Everyone appears prepared for, or impervious to the dampness.

Preschoolers, decked out in slickers with hoods are undaunted by rain on a class outing.

 

Kids probably from Albina Head Start on an outing along NE Skidmore St.

Landscapers at my neighbor’s house are doing major terrain shifting in the mud and rain. If they stayed home on rainy days they’d be out of business.

 

Landscapers from Grass Stains take a break to smile for my camera

Bikers in Portland are ubiquitous rain or shine, with head protection or without.

I equate it to the can-do snow travel attitude in Vermont. Schools and businesses up there are generally open no matter how much snow has fallen. Roads are quickly plowed and people use good snow tires to keep themselves mobile. Likewise, people in Portland keep themselves dry and on the move with the proper clothing.

My daughter Ayla bought me a waterproof rain shell with a hood that can be quickly flipped up or down whenever the rain starts or stops. This eliminates the need for carrying an umbrella.

 

Wearing my rain shell for a selfie in my bathroom 

Joel lent me his rain pants for walking or exercising outdoors. (My jeans were always getting soaked during walks). 

Much needed rain pants for long walks in the rain

Even my dog Etta now has a lightweight yellow rain slicker with hood. She no longer resembles a drowned rat after a rainy walk.

 

Etta in my studio in her new rain gear

Everywhere I go the natives know how to deal with the climate. I listen well and this makes life so much easier.

Scotch-Gard is my friend

There's beauty in all of this volatility. The clouds will part, revealing blue sky and sun, or a glorious sunset after a downpour. A fresh batch of ominous clouds may rumble in with rain again, followed by a solid low ceiling of leaden whiteness overhead. Local weather seems fickle, and randomly dependent on which street you live on at what moment in time. Quite an experience!

A clearing of clouds at dusk on NE Rodney Avenue_Portland OR