Look at you- you're all wet!!! (Einstein)

• Needless to say, the moment I left the apartment the sky turned as black as midnight, the lightening started flashing, the thunder grumbling and the rain angled at a 45 degrees. Guaranteed to soak the trousers despite a long raincoat. The umbrella was useless and the rain was falling so fast that nothing drained off the streets into the sewer. It was a deep lake at every corner and I was wearing sandals. This was the 4th foray through the rain for these sandals and they just gave out. I was sliding all around the soles that I vowed to hit the first shoe store at my subway destination stop. In 5 minutes I had tossed away the sandals and donned my new galoshes. I'm telling you, it'll never rain again this summer now that I have the boots.



• The weather is always like this when I go to the hairdresser. Today it was the all-important covering of the gray. But no matter how many products are caked on over the hair to prevent frizz, it's just an exercise in futility. I have prickly hair. That's all there is to it and the older I get the intensity of the prickles increase.

So, on the way home I had to stop by the post office to pick up a package. Since I didn't know the size of the box, I had taken along one of those dolly thingies. I think originally they were meant to transport suitcases. Black rods that fold up and have 2 bungee cords attached. While waiting in line I started to unfold it and the bungees were getting all tangled up so I put a foot on the bottom platform to stabilize it and - you guessed it - the wheels started to roll and I fell. In front of 20 people. I told them all to stop staring at me. I've had enough of this embarrassing business. This time I spared my face and glasses and fell on my tailbone. I seemed to try to break the fall with my left wrist so now my entire left side is sore. And the package didn't even need to be transported on a carrier.

I came home to a message that a big box was waiting for me at the gatehouse. It was my pet stroller! OK. All of you have a good laugh. I think my maternal instinct is emerging at long last. I had to do some assembly and ended up putting the back wheels on backwards. But this is a real, big-time stroller with a carriage tray underneath, a big rain bonnet, faux sheepskin-lined bed inside, a tray for coffee cups, water bottles. Now I have to see if I can get one of the girls inside to pose for us.