April Showers

The last few days have been gorgeous! It feels like spring has arrived in the Bmore. But, with spring comes rain. (I know. I know. We need it.) Last Monday and Tuesday were wet and pretty much miserable. Rain = enemy of the commuter. Rain in the forecast this Monday through Wednesday. I'd take below zero temps over rain. I can dress for those kinds of conditions. I have yet to figure out a rainy day dress code. So many variables!

Pants cannot be too long. Shoes have to be somewhat waterproof (heels keep the shoes and the pants out of puddles). Coat needs to be waterproof and, if it's really raining, should hit around the knee (otherwise, your pants will be soaked. Trust me on this one). Umbrellas are essential. Bag should be waterproof. too. The layering is tricky. You want to stay warm, but my raincoat is not really a breathable material so I overheat pretty quickly.

Phew. So, I'm really dreading the rain this week. I went to Target and bought these boots:


Nice color. Good price ($20). Waterproof. I also like that they are not super tall. I end up walking about two miles between my commute in and my commute home. I have a pair of tall rain boots, but they are too heavy. They make extra work for my legs. I got these in Target's garden section. So, maybe they'll do double duty as we start working on our garden in the backyard.

I'm still not 100% happy about my raincoat. I bought it about a year ago from Cabela's. It's good quality, but Cabela's sizes run large. I feel like I'm going fishing every time I put it on. But, it keeps me dry and hits below my knee to help my pants stay dry on really rainy days. And it's "packable" which means that it folds into a little package-size shape. If it stops raining, it's easy to fold up and slip into your bag. That's definitely a plus.

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/index/index-display.jsp?id=cat21199&navAction=jump&navCount=1&cmCat=MainCatcat601085&parentType=category&parentId=cat601085

I'll let you know how my adventures in the rain go. Excited to try my new boots!

First entry!

So, this blog idea is one that I've thought about for a while ... let's say since June 17, 2008. That was the day after I started taking the bus to work. In just ten months of busing it, the following experiences have happened to me: my bus caught fire on my way home. True story. A man spilled his very hot coffee down the collar of my jacket ("it's okay, the jacket is waterproof," I told him). No AC. In July. In Baltimore. A strange homeless man, believing himself to be Jesus, shared his kung fu moves in the aisle of the bus. Today, mild in comparison to other days, the roof of the bus leaked rain onto the seats. Many a fond memory, me and the bus.

And yet. And yet.

I love riding the bus. It's the best thing about my days. There's no better place for people watching than on a city bus. And, there are some very sweet people riding those buses. When you see the same folks every day, an unspoken community starts to form. It's rather nice. Also, I am not above feeling a little self-righteous about my choices. I ride public transit to help the environment. What do you do? Drive a Prius? Please.

So what's the bee in my bonnet? Why a blog?

It's hard to ride the bus and arrive at work looking put together and professional. It's especially hard for the ladies. Heels on the bus are a tricky thing to maneuver; but, maneuver it I do. Maybe my trials with footwear, bags, and appropriate outerwear will inspire more ladies to try the bus. It will make my little city planner heart sing.