And still we stand tall Cause maybe they’ve seen us And welcome us all

Today is Munster Red Day. Course I’m not in the province so can’t help turn Munster red :) But I did use my red umbrella, does that count? I don’t actually own any red clothes, at least I don’t think I do. It tends to clash with the hair.

Let me moan about the weather for a second here^[1] Yesterday morning was a bloody joy to behold. Blue skies^[2] and a warm sun shining down. So I dressed accordingly. Just before I left the house I listened to the weather and heard “wind, rain, gusts” but did I do the usual and bring the coat, just in case. no. Of course not.

See, there are two modes of dress for Irish people in the “warmer months”. First there are the “young hip type.” And they tend to dress with total disregard to the weather, in that if it is spring or summer they’ll wear short sleeves, skimpy tops, shirts, skirts, sandals etc. You know, the sort of clothes you see people in sunny American tv-land wear. It doesn’t matter that the sky overhead has been filled with huge grey blue clouds all day, or that under the fake tans skin is turning blue from the wind, or that wading through puddles isn’t all that fun with open toes. they’ll still dress that way. And maybe even wear sunglasses.

The other mode is the “wear everything just in case” mode. So you bring a coat, an umbrella, a scarf, a hat, a jacket, a light top, something underneath that, a pair of tackies^[3] or maybe even boots^[4] or, in other words, you carry a mini-wardrobe around on your back, just in case the weather improves all the while assuming that it won’t. because, this is Ireland after all, and while Dublin has way, way less rain than Sligo, it still isn’t California.

This build up should have told you what happened next. I mean, I wasn’t in shorts and a t-shirt^[5] but I decided to trust the morning sky.

I soon saw the error of my ways.

Rain. Rain. A little more rain. And let’s not forget those gusts of wind. Cause there is nothing better than the wind catching in your umbrella and trying to make you stab the person walking beside you. Nothing better.

So a little wet after I stepped outside work I headed off to meet NM as we were heading to an Irish Rugby Supporters Evening with Eddie O’Sullivan. Brother #5 was supposed to be coming, but couldn’t cause of the awkwardness of having to travel from Sligo and what with school and tests coming up, so NM came instead, all prepared to be bored, just so she could get a copy of the final episode of this season’s Veronica Mars^[6] ;)

Luckily enough by the time it was over the sun had decided to come out again and we had a bit of blue sky so I didn’t get wet on my walk home from the DART.

This morning the weather has started life with rain and grey clouds, so I’ve done the sensible thing and worn those shorts, sandals and t-shirt I told you about earlier. After all, chances are there may be two minutes of sun at some stage today. And you gotta be prepared.