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Parsol power!
Jul. 17th, 2011 04:19 pmA few weeks ago my friends Karin and Ami gifted me with a parasol. Not just any parasol: it was black with rows and rows of black lace ruffles and black roses: a parasol with style and presence. I was delighted--I'd given such things a casual look at Gencon but could never quite convince myself to buy myself one.
Today I got the chance to use it, because I was going to church (and thus wearing a nice dress) and it's hot out. I mean hoooooot. I mean all this weekend we've been having heat indexes in the 100+ F range. (That's 38+ for you metric folks.) I had gotten about half-way down my block when I became totally enamored of my parasol and started pondering buying another one in a non-black color to go with the non-black part of my wardrobe. It wasn't the stylishness of the thing, it was the discovery that a parasol is like a hat, only better. It's better because hats only shade your face, but a parasol shades your shoulders as well. Also, with a parasol you can still get a breeze through your hair, the lack of which is the only real downside of summer hats.
On my way home after church I stopped at the local Walgreens to refill my steroid prescription. While I was waiting in line an older woman leaned over to say, "I saw you in church today and your outfit looked so pretty!" I grinned and thanked her. Walking home after that I passed an apartment building where two women were hanging out on a shady balcony. "I bet you are glad for that umbrella now!" one of them shouted down to me. I half-turned and yelled a happy "YEAH!" back to her. Since it was now past noon I was not simply being agreeable: having portable shade was really, really nice.
I'm now keeping my eyes out for nice umbrellas suitable for being upgraded (Exalted?) into parasolhood. I can't make anything as nice as the one I was given (I do not have the focus required to sew on that much lace ruffle, no matter how much I like lace ruffle), but I think I can fancy it up enough that it is clearly a Parasol, and not an Umbrella. Or maybe I'll just give up and buy one at Gencon. Regardless, the one I have is going to be getting serious work this summer.
Today I got the chance to use it, because I was going to church (and thus wearing a nice dress) and it's hot out. I mean hoooooot. I mean all this weekend we've been having heat indexes in the 100+ F range. (That's 38+ for you metric folks.) I had gotten about half-way down my block when I became totally enamored of my parasol and started pondering buying another one in a non-black color to go with the non-black part of my wardrobe. It wasn't the stylishness of the thing, it was the discovery that a parasol is like a hat, only better. It's better because hats only shade your face, but a parasol shades your shoulders as well. Also, with a parasol you can still get a breeze through your hair, the lack of which is the only real downside of summer hats.
On my way home after church I stopped at the local Walgreens to refill my steroid prescription. While I was waiting in line an older woman leaned over to say, "I saw you in church today and your outfit looked so pretty!" I grinned and thanked her. Walking home after that I passed an apartment building where two women were hanging out on a shady balcony. "I bet you are glad for that umbrella now!" one of them shouted down to me. I half-turned and yelled a happy "YEAH!" back to her. Since it was now past noon I was not simply being agreeable: having portable shade was really, really nice.
I'm now keeping my eyes out for nice umbrellas suitable for being upgraded (Exalted?) into parasolhood. I can't make anything as nice as the one I was given (I do not have the focus required to sew on that much lace ruffle, no matter how much I like lace ruffle), but I think I can fancy it up enough that it is clearly a Parasol, and not an Umbrella. Or maybe I'll just give up and buy one at Gencon. Regardless, the one I have is going to be getting serious work this summer.
