While we lived in Ontario, when we had time off a rainy day was an excuse to stay in, curl up by the fire and read or lie on the couch and watch TV. In Vancouver, because it rains a lot in the winter months, too much time would be spent indoors if one didn't simply face the weather. Every store seems to carry rain gear in one form or another to accommodate the needs of the people here. Even the variety stores carry cheap umbrellas or disposable, plastic ponchos to keep folks dry. Native Vancouverites are simply accustomed to living, working and playing in the rain much like Ontarians are acclimatized to blizzards, sub-zero weather and freezing rain. The saying goes; if you can't beat them you might as well join them and so we have.

Early in the fall we invested in a couple of good quality, though inexpensive, rain suits from Costco. They have zip-out fleece linings and have proven to be invaluable, even when it has been cold. Last month we each purchased a pair of stylish, waterproof walking shoes so we are fully prepared for wet weather. Today the temperature rose to 13C and it poured all day. There is some local flooding and even a couple of areas where there have been mudslides (though not near here) and no one seems to be bothered by them.

We ran errands today in Burnaby and downtown Vancouver, armed with umbrellas and we accomplished a lot, ignoring the downpour around us. On the way home, we drove up Commercial Drive only to see Karley with Makai strapped to her chest, walking home from her weekly mother's group under the protection of her own umbrella. There was no shortage of shoppers, bundled in rain gear mulling around the shops and cafes proving that anything done in fair weather can also be tackled in the rain when one is properly attired. And folks, contrary to what I might have said in the past, I actually am not bothered by the rain at all and so it seems we too have learned to become "Vancouverites".