Fashion Forward

Once again I took the opportunity to be fashion forward today. I went in search of long sleeved tops. Mine are locked in my apartment, and the locks on the building have been changed.

As many of you know, the building has been under reconstruction since June 2016. I hoped to miss the worst of it during my journey. However, optimism and construction timing are mutually exclusive terms, and my folly was proven.

Someone exposed some asbestos. A stop work order was issued more than five weeks ago, and Canada Post suspended mail delivery. Late last week, the results of the asbestos testing came in and residents were moved to a downtown hotel.

I emailed, saying I'm returning on Feb 2, and can I please have a hotel room and one time access to my apartment to get some winter clothes.

Yes, the reply came, you can have a hotel room on the landlord’s dime, and no, you cannot enter your apartment. Thank you for your understanding.

I have one long-sleeved top and one pair of lightweight long pants. Drat. I'll go to Costco for a new pair of yoga pants and to the Gap for some new tops. I won't look any different than I always do. My wardrobe is pretty uniform. As I said, predictably fashion forward.

That's when I got the idea that I could get a new long sleeved top at the Gap in Bali. I checked, and it is in a plaza that I passed on my walk yesterday. I needed a walk today, and there was no threat of getting lost. Everything was coming up roses.

Well, not everything. The colour of the sky was ominous grey.

Even so, it didn't rain on my way there, although it rained for a bit while there. And the cloud colour improved. There were no shirts I liked at the gap, but there were some lovely tops at Mango, a fabulous French chain. Size was a problem, as was the weight of the fabric. There were ideal for local (Bali) conditions, not for Victoria coming out of winter. I'm still thinking of a sweater I saw at Zara, that chain known for fashion replicas (not really knock offs).

I started the walk back to my hotel (about three quarters of an hour), and felt the odd raindrop. Nothing to be concerned about.

Then what to my wondering eyes should appear, but a deluge that would have deterred even a deer. I ducked under an awning, knowing it wouldn't last. This wasn't the first day of celebration at Besi Kalung temple, and it would lighten up.

When it did, I fished out the nylon shopping bag that I carry at all times, folded it diagonally into a kerchief, tied it under my chin and went my merry way, as fashion-forwardly as I could. I was only about 15 minutes away, and my head stayed dry.

A successful return.