Pushing Through The Rain

    I've decided to make England's ever-changeable weather the metaphor for my time here.

    As in, push through whatever the forecast, keep plugging away regardless, enjoy it when it's not raining, and believe that the sun will come out in the end. Maybe.  

    Take yesterday.

    I needed to go to the local Jobcentre office to get my National Insurance Number, which I thought I had, but turns out I didn't. Since I worked here for three years in the mid-1980s (I used to work?), I had to have been issued a number then. But they couldn't find it, so the guy said I was probably issued a temporary one then and now need to apply for a permanent one. You need one of those suckers to get paid here.   

    Okay, anyway, whatever, that's actually besides the point.

    I decided to ride my bike to the office. It's a straight shot down my high road about 20 minutes away. Had heard the weather forecast that it was going to brighten up for the evening, maybe become one of those splendid London evenings, which sounded good.

    Looked pretty dark still though. But needed to go before the office closed -- and wanted the endorphin boost I know riding my bike gives me. So set off.

    Before I even got to the high road -- a couple streets away -- it started pouring. No problem. I'll duck under the portico here until it stops. It often stops quickly. And there was some definite blue up in the sky. 

    That worked pretty well. Within maybe five minutes, it stopped raining, and the sun came out.

    Got back out there and cycled almost to the office when it started drizzling. 

    No problem. Was almost there. Had a hoodie on, so pulled the hood over my head and got to the office, just a little bit wet, but still intact. Chained my bike up right outside, and went in, feeling pretty smug. Just gotta go for it, I told myself.

    A half-hour and no National Insurance Number later, I came out to find it pouring. 

    No problem. I'll just wait here under the Jobcentre portico until it stops. Still some blue sky up there. And the forecast called for a nice evening -- and it's almost 5 now.

   Wait it out, don't stress, and you'll be rewarded with a nice cycle home in the sun. Got nothing to rush home to anyway. Husband working late. Cleaning bathroom can wait.

    Then Jobcentre man starts pulling the grate down behind me, muttering excuse me, miss, we're closing. Sprint to another quickly-spotted covered area (there's lots of them) half a block away. Take on just a bit more water.

    Sun comes out after a few minutes. Take off.

    Starts -- and stops -- raining three more times on the cycle home. Take shelter at a bus stop twice and under the awning outside a cappuccino bar once. Wanted to stay at the cappuccino bar but they were closing.

    Finally make it to my own cappuccino bar on the high street near our house. Hoodie wet now, but t-shirt underneath not too bad. 

    Ordered a cappuccino and an apricot tart. Both yummy. Bought a newspaper (natch). Sun came out and stayed out for the rest of the evening.