APRIL showers; there is no denying that we are definitely experiencing them.

Indeed, I think despite the supposed drought everyone is getting hacked off with the squally showers and soggy aftermath.

It’s weird that I always find myself writing about the weather but it seems to play a big part of how I exist. Take rain for instance.

Firstly, most people use an umbrella when it rains… well guess what? If I hold an umbrella I am static, no pushing or if I do choose to use my free hand I go in circles, so clearly it’s not going to happen.

Yes, I can wear a waterproof jacket, but one of the things about sitting down all the time is that when rain falls, its falls onto your lap.

Yup, that means waterproof trousers, so that’s not going to happen either as just getting dressed for dry weather is hard enough.

As I’m sure you’ll appreciate, I’ll take drenched trousers over the hassle of waterproofs on and off after every shower.

For all you cyclists out there you know the importance of a mudguard, and the results if you don’t have one.

Now, as a wheelchair user we don’t have the luxury of mudguards.

As such any surface water is picked up by my tyres and gets flicked up, soaking my sleeves with each turn of the wheels (and of course my thighs get a healthy soaking as well).

So much so, I’d say it’s all but impossible to remain dry and presentable when wheeling in the rain.

And it drives me crazy as I have mountains (well bin bags anyway) full of laundry as a simple trip to shop in the rain means a full change of clothes.

My washing machine is running constantly and yet there is always more.

Not only is rain annoying and uncomfortable as a wheelchair user, it can also be dangerous.

My wheelchair has brakes but not in the conventional bike sense. The only brakes it has are ones that lock it when static, like a pram I suppose.

So how do I brake on the move? Well it’s difficult, let me put it that way. So if you see a soaking wet wheelchair user flying towards you in the rain I’d get out of the way!

When it snows I accept my lot and stay house-bound, but the frequency of rain means that this is just not an option.

So I grin and bear it, make sure I’m stocked up with washing powder and keep some baby wipes in my bag to clean up and try to look respectable when I reach my destination.