“I’m a jacket man. And if I’m without one, I am kind of seriously disabled. I don’t know how to operate in shirt sleeves.”

Bill Nighy

I have mentioned several times now in previous posts our forthcoming trip to the UK, but I am conscious of the fact that I have not really gone into much detail. Needless to say a great deal of planning has already been done, involving multiple lists, spreadsheets and a wide and extensive variety of transatlantic communications.

The most important detail at this point is that I leave for the UK in about a week and a half’s time. I say ‘I’ because The Girl is following in my footsteps a week later. I am now outwith my teaching contracts and thus free as a bird, whereas she is still bound by the strictures imposed by her employment with regard to leave entitlement. Since I intend making a number of visits to those with whom it was I who was primarily connected this seemed to be the optimal solution.

Once she has joined me in the UK we will spend a further week and a half being splendidly and lavishly entertained by family and friends, before flying to Athens for the even more indulgent part of the trip.

This latter – which features a seven day cruise in the Greek islands – caused an unexpected addition to our pre-trip preparations.

When I started visiting this neck of the woods nearly a decade and a half ago (well before even considering that I might one day end up here) I brought with me a jacket – the which I wore on the outward and return journeys to save having to pack same. On each successive trip I followed the same practice but I cannot now recall a single occasion on which I actually wore the jacket whilst in Canada. On one trip I even left the thing in the closet at the friends’ home with whom we were staying without noticing that I had done so.

“This is the west coast” – I was told. “No-one wears a jacket here“.

When I ‘retired’ from the world of work and we packed up our lives to head west I naturally pruned my (meagre!) collection of garments to remove items for which I would likely have little use in BC. That (for the reasons outlined above) included practically every jacket that I then owned.

Thus far the maxim has held (with the exception of the odd formal occasion, for which I am still equipped) and though the forthcoming trip to the UK should itself cause no problems the cruise is a different matter. Even on an informal voyage such as this there are a couple of ‘dressing up’ occasions. Practicality dictates that one meet the differing requirements of these events with but a single garment which, given my now clearly precipitate purge, meant that I would needs must go out and purchase a jacket to suit all eventualities.

As you might imagine – given the Victorians’ general eschewal of such apparel – finding a suitable item took some doing. When I finally did so – courtesy of the estimable Kane Straith Clothing (who have been in business hereabouts since the gold rush!) it weren’t cheap!

It is – however – ‘suitably’ splendid!