A Fond Farewell
After thirteen seasons, we bid a fond farewell to our patio umbrella. The center wooden hub of this umbrella had wire threaded through it and through each of the wooden ribs. This last season we noticed the wire had worked its way through some of tips of the ribs, detaching them from the center hub. Once Dennis had it opened this late spring, we left it up and opened and decided to enjoy it while it could still give us shade to sit under while enjoying the patio. I know we had paid $99 for it at Sam’s Club. We have gotten our money’s worth. Checking online, our 2018 purchase will be an umbrella not of wood, most likely of an aluminum or such. That should make it so much easier to operate it and also when we put it into storage after each season. This 10′ wide umbrella was very heavy. Our faithful cast iron base will be put in the potting shed, waiting for a new umbrella to flutter in the breeze next spring.