Today I had a problem with my priorities.

My first priority was to escape from the home. I had been at home since my week-end shopping safari on Friday. We had a minor monsoon, not heavy rain, but the steady drizzle that soaks you to the skin and makes an excursion with the camera a mission impossible, especially if your main transport method is by wheelchair.

The rainproof wheelchair has not yet been invented with the automatic roof and plastic drapes at the front and sides meaning that even if I wear a rain jacket for protection I will still be wet when I arrive home and I am not so sure that it would be a good idea for the chair when the seat gets wet.

At lunchtime it stopped raining and after my midday recovery sleep I decided it was time to go and make the most of the weather. My camera was photo starved and I was sure that the first layer of snow would be on the Jura mountains in the distance for a good photo.

We have had wonderful sunny weather for the past six weeks, but now times are a changing and with temperatures of 3-5° C it is time to rethink the clothing. For the first time since last April I was wearing socks. These were accompanied by my fleece lined trousers. I was not sure whether the rain jacket would be warm enough, but eventually settled for the winter jacket with the hood: better to be on the safe side. And I was ready, my dress priorities were made, so what could possibly go wrong.

Something did of course. I wheeled my way into town. It was still a grey, cold miserable day, but I continued heedless. At least it was not raining. I arrived in town, was snapping my photos here and there. They even had a small stand where they were serving cheese fondue. Just a small gas heater with a pot of the fondue melted cheese mixture and a bowl of bread cubes next to it. One of the men organising it said if I wanted a sample he would bring it to me as I was in my wheelchair, but I declined, although I was thinkig about it. I then decided to wheel on towards home.

This meant crossing the bridge over the river and afterwards crossing the second bridge. I was then slowly realising that I had forgotten something important. Actually it was the first priority. I was never a glove person, but when you are wheeling around in a chair you tend to feel the cold winds blowing against you especially on the hands. You need the right hand to steer the chair so no possibility to put it in your pocket for warmth. I had visions of my lovely warm Norwegian style gloves that Mr. Swiss brought me once after a business trip to Oslo. They were still in the wardrobe at home.

I had to change my strategy. Instead of speeding along the river bank homewards I wheeled up to the main road with the nice smooth level sidewalks, switched the wheelchair into top gear and went homewards with visions of having frostbite in my right hand. I had already put the camera back into my bag.

I eventually arrived home. My right hand has now thawed out and I will never ever forget the priority of taking gloves with me on my next journey into the unknown. By the way the first snowflakes will probably be falling this evening.

FOWC with Fandango: Priorities