Rainy Days

So it is another rainy and cold morning and again I have my alarm clock all turned around and so it does not actually go off at 5 so I can work out before getting ready. However, when I awake at 5:20 and realize this I start to plan out my day to include it later on when I realize that thanks to Corporate Challenge 8Ball I have to be at Schanks North (about 25 minutes drive in clear traffic from my house) at 6pm to play. But we have to check in 1/2 an hour early and 5:30 is not going to be "clear traffic" so I realize I will have to take my car and park downtown. Now parking in my usual spot (where I got lost the last time) is $22 a day as I had already ranted and I already had to take a cab home ($12) one night to get my car and be at the basketball courts on time and so I really didn't want to pay $22. Then I remembered that my colleague Shannon had told me about the Palliser parking that has an early bird special of $13 if you are in before 7am and out before 6pm. Done!!

Next dilemma - what to wear. Now I have a client meeting at 8am this morning and need to be in the office by 7:30'ish to prep and get over there. A little tid bit I have not yet mentioned is that I sprained my ankle on Sunday playing ultimate frisbee, I then taped it and played basketball on Tuesday - the ankle was feeling great however last night was laser tag (which I don't really consider a sport and therefor did not tape it)- three games back to back standing/running/squatting from 7:30 until 10:30 and then having to drive my standard the 1/2 an hour back home. So my ankle today is a little sore. But on Monday I already wore a pretty casual outfit when I had a meeting with the same client (to facilitate the only pair of running shoes I could fit my foot in) and so I didn't want to be in the same situation again. I rationalized that if i could play basketball, surely i can wear my 3" wedge heels (open toes though but they only have straps across the toes and therefor my ankle is free to be as fat as it wishes) with my cream dress pants (don't really like them much as they are too big on me and hang weird through the thigh as a result) and this really cute little brown sweater (bought it in Seattle - remember the one I won in rock paper scissors with Fran!!).

So now I am off - I have my 8ball outfit in a bag, have my purse, my keys, wearing the strappy shoes and cream pants with my coat and an umbrella - what more can a girl need. So I arrive at the Palliser parkade fairly easily, have to choose east or west parkade (never parked here before so this will certainly be an adventure but east says Mariott and I know they have a plus 15 so here goes nothing) and garner a spot. Get out walk through the only door available and see absolutely no signage for the plus 15. Oh dear! Alas, someone else has parked and so upon inquiry directs me to the second floor. Excellent. Upon disembarking the elevator there is a sign and map immediately to my left. I am not too stubborn or prideful to check the map after the last rainy disaster with an unfamiliar plus 15. I finally spot the miniscule little arrow that appears to say you are here and follow the plus 15 over to the Marriott only to realize that is where it stops - 3 blocks of walking in the rain. However, the west parkade has a lovely little plus 15 that would have taken me directly to work. No worries - a little frustrated but that is why I brought my umbrella. So off I go.

I get down to the Mariott lobby, find my umbrella, step outside into the rain and an ankle deep puddle of muddy water. My mercies. I now have to trek the three blocks with freezing cold/wet/dirty feet. My ankle hurt for the first block but by the last two it felt great - and completely numb from the cold. Finally I can see my corner Second Cup welcoming me. With drenched cream pants, sopping cork wedge heels, my bags and umbrella I stumble in for a coffee. Thank goodness god loves me a little bit because one of the flavors was chocolate truffle (my favorite) and they only have it about once a month but just last week it was a flavor as well!! I continue to plow through the puddles the last 10 feet to my office and arrive looking extremely disheveled, frizzy hair, muddy pants and open toed shoes only to realize that now I have to turn around and walk the 6 blocks to my clients office in the same situation. Do you think I could show up in my jeans and runners??

Seriously Sarah - I hate the plus 15's. I think I will need a couple weekend training sessions when you get back on these damn things!