Brolly

This iris didn't have one, I guess.

So here's a question (and, oddly enough, the reason for the post title): umbrella or raincoat?

Raincoat, personally, and I'm beginning to notice that I have a bit of a hard time understanding the umbrella people.

Umbrellas, it's true, offer a good amount of shelter. However, they also mean losing the use of at least one hand, and they're absolutely useless in any kind of wind. Stiff wind? You run the risk of completely destroying your umbrella as it tries in vain to become a kite, and then you're left with no protection at all. And heaven help you if you're trying to walk in a less-than-open area. Like, say, a forest.

Ah yes. There it comes. You had to figure that my anti-umbrella stance comes at least partly from work, right?

One thing that frustrates me about working outdoors with kids is that kids love umbrellas. Any bit of threatening weather, and every kid in the group will be bringing an umbrella to the Centre. And, of course, any two spits of rain and allllll of the umbrellas have to come out. And then we have the fun of kids whacking each other in the head or poking each other in the eye, and completely not paying attention to anything that isn't an umbrella.

And then we get to the aforementioned forest. Ever tried to take a group of kids -- hell, a group of adults -- down a narrow forest trail when none of them have any form of protection from the elements but the bloody umbrellas?

Yeah, give me a raincoat any day.

But if you do happen to be part of the non-raincoat brigade, I'd be curious to hear your "fors" since I can't really think of too many. And if you're considering attending a nature centre program on a rainy day?







Maybe consider a raincoat as well. I'd be really grateful.