On recent trips, I had been mystified by a strange dandruff-like substance that seemed to be proliferating in my knapsack and our rental cars. When we were in Alaska I thought that it might be coming off the poplar trees, if indeed there were any, I've never really gotten very good at identifying trees, despite receiving as a gift a field guide to trees as a birthday present back in 1988 after I had complained about not understanding the significance of various trees in poems. It was very thoughful of Dorothy to go out and get that for me lo those multiple decades ago. I've given it insufficient attention to really master tree identification, despite my earnest intentions.
But here we were in rental cars first in France, then in Spain and the same mysterious stuff has been floating around our cars. At long last I've discovered the culprit.
It's my rain coat! It's a Columbia brand shell, I think. Some kind of discount Gore-Tex wannabe. This shell has lived and long and noble life, but it has now been deposited firmly and finally in the garbage can of our Madrid hotel. When I get back to Chapel Hill I will buy myself a proper Gore-Tex item, probably at Great Outdoor Provisions at Eastgate, a relatively small and local chain where the people have been very friendly and helpful over a summer of significant upgearing in our household.
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