By: Blonde Two

Has anyone else noticed the sudden abundance of ‘National’ days? It seems that, as a nation, we have become incapable of making our own minds up which ‘day’ it should be. This could cause problems; you might want to go for a bike ride  when it is ‘National Go For A Walk Day’ (this is unlikely to happen to me) or eat a cream tea when it is ‘National Pasty Day’. You might remember ‘National Hedge Cutting Day’ from a previous blog post.

I decided on Saturday, that October 1st should be National (or maybe Devonshire) Gear Waterproofing Day. Let’s face it, it suddenly isn’t summer any more. The clues are all there: the down gilet that is mostly being warm inside, the ‘test-run’ of the wood burner and the rain! Yep, the rain is back, which means that unless you take part in ‘National Gear Waterproofing Day’, you are going to get wet.waterproofing-paramo

I am always nervous of waterproofing or cleaning a jacket for the first time. It is like admitting that, at some point, water is going to leak through to your jumper; something you never would have admitted to when your jacket was brand new. (Please note that ‘brand new’ can last for a whole walking season).

I did all of the right things:

I rinsed the washing machine through.
I removed everything from the pockets (there was only the guy above and I think he needed proofing).
I took out the funny foam rucksack thingy.
I undid the velcro.
I split my waterproofing into two loads.
I read the instructions.
I did the velcro up again.
I washed the gear in Nikwax Tech Wash at 40 degrees.
I reproofed the gear with Nikwax TX. Direct.
I removed the second funny foam rucksack thingy (didn’t know there were two!)
I hung the gear on the line.
I took it off the line again when it started to rain (the irony didn’t escape me!)

What I didn’t do was use the tumble drier – the instructions said to do so; but there is only so much gear-bravery a girl can muster in one afternoon!