My journey into to the land of brollies

Little did I know that I will be spending some serious dosh on folding brollies this week.
I started the week with a broken brolly coming into work, and it was so upsetting. I just mentioned to a work mate that I am bound to have a horrible week, the brolly I bought in America for £3.00 just broke. Then he told me how he went to a shop in Holborn called James Smith & Co and bought an umbrella 20 years ago called knirps, he said t was expensive though.
He lost it after 10 years of use and went back and bought the same type of brolly and he has been using it since for 10 years. My head went into a spin cos in 20 years, I must have bought over 10 umbrellas, the last one left me almost half-wet all the time I've used it.
Now I have forked out £60.00 and I am hoping for a 15 year usage. At £4.00 a year, it's still expensive, but if it does not break or fall apart, it is well worth the money.
This one has a diameter of 120cm.

http://www.european-umbrellas.com/knirps/bilder/big-duo/present/big-duo-blau.html

Now I am praying a bit for some heavy rain so I can get my kit out.