A Story About a Raincoat

And a giveaway--read all the way till the end!

So it’s been a little while since I’ve done some “How” posts but bear with me, we’ll have some coming up soon as we get into the home stretch before our first summer: setting up utilities, the last vet visit, getting the documents to board the plane with Asuna and then the logistics of driving with her to Quillan once we land (photos promised). After we’re in-country this summer, we’ll have lots more about setting up and life in Quillan.

In the meantime, we’re having biblical rains in our little corner of Arkansas, with a front stalled over us for the next few days. We’re talking, “generational” or even 100 year flooding predicted. As long as we don’t float away I’m ok with that, because I love rain. And besides, it gives me the opportunity to tell you the story of my French raincoat. The second one. There are two.

I got my first French raincoat at a street market in Honfleur where we had traveled for our 25th anniversary, in 2018. It was new, with bright white pvc on the outside,and tres French, with a soft, blue and white striped knit lining. I needed a raincoat and it seemed like the perfect souvenir of this lovely little seaside town.

Until I got it home and discovered, upon the first “gully washer” as they call them here in the south, that the PVC didn’t protect me from anything; instead, a good hard rain soaked right through. Determined, I kept it for several years. We didn’t have that many hard rains; mostly sprinkles and medium-rains. And it was a cute coat. But last year, I got tired of getting soaked through and started looking around for the perfect raincoat. A serious raincoat that would look good and keep me dry.

That was easier said than done. I shopped around, looked around town and online, and the only raincoats I was remotely interested in were $100-$200. That seemed like a lot of money for something I was only going to wear a handful of times a year at most. So I tabled my search and decided, since it worked as both a windbreaker and a mild-rain raincoat, I’d bring the first French raincoat with me on our trip this past summer and keep my eye out for something there, maybe in a Monoprix or other department store. Another souvenir. And if I still didn’t find anything, I’d survive.

And then, in the Emmaus in Castres, where I least expected it, I found THE raincoat. This, for me, is the beauty of thrifting. The surprises. Believe it or not, I’m fairly picky and leave a thrift store empty-handed more often than not.

The women’s section of the Castres Emmaus is pretty small, first of all (the whole Castres Emmaus is on the small side, which makes it even more charming). Second of all, I knew the chances of me finding a nice raincoat that fit well in a section of random women’s castoffs in a country that really doesn’t cater to the generous figure (aka it’s not clothes that I usually buy in French thrift stores), were slim to none. But there it was. I tried it on, doubtfully. Lo and behold, it was nearly new and . . . it did fit! Perfectly. **** It was comfortable and not too bulky. Just what I needed.

It also doesn’t soak through in a heavy rain. Every time I wear it I think of that sweet little Castres Emmaus, only open one day a week, so it became a meet-and-greet for the whole town. Even John remembers the Castres Emmaus so fondly that he, who is not a big thrifter, wants to go back to it sometime this summer (reader, it’s 2 hours from Quillan).

Here is a photo of me at UCA today, pleased as punch and ready for the monsoons.

The moral of this story, such as it is: if you can’t find the exact right thing you want, wait for it. Manifest it in the back of your mind. Maybe it will come to you when you least expect it, which will only make the whole experience that much more delightful.

And now to the giveaway. I mentioned several nonfiction books that inspired my France-love last week. In my everlasting quest to downsize, I’ve decided to give away some of my personal copies. This week, it will be my hardcover of From Paris to the Moon, by Adam Gopnik, which is also in excellent condition. If you would like to enter the giveaway, just like and comment on this post. I’ll announce the winner next week and mail it to you right after.

Until then, if you’re in Arkansas stay dry, mes amis!

A bientôt,

Stephanie

Below: Outside and inside the stone building that is the Castres Emmaus.

***I mean, if I ever find a stylish rain cape in a French thrift store, all bets are off but until then this one will suit me fine for a long time.