 I
do love all the different seasons
but I wish they would arrive on time,
or at least give us some warning. Watching
the weather report recently I was amazed
when we were told that we had record temperatures
of 19Ί the first week in November followed
by record lows of -26Ί the first week
in December.
What happened over those few short weeks?
Do other countries have such dramatic
changes of seasons? We didn't seem to
have autumn for longer than a week and
we went straight into winter.
Actually, secretly, I find it all quite
exciting, to wake up to frosted trees
and a world of white stirs up childish
feelings of delight. When I'm not working
and I'm staying indoors, that is.
The moment you have to start defrosting
the car on walking like a robot down a
very slippery road - that's when it can
be a bit of a nightmare. But it's also
surprising just how friendly we all become
in bad weather. We Brits just love to
talk about the weather, or moan to each
other about it - 'isn't it awful'. 'It's
absolutely freezing out there' - we love
to talk to each other about it.
In summer we don't really have an opener
for conversation (unless it's boiling
hot and then we can mention that) but
bad weather conditions give us something
in common.
 Watching
the weather reports we can all sympathize
with those who are having it worse than
we are. Men help each other in the street
with man-things like defrosting the car,
or which road to take for safety. Women
exchange advice about where to get those
essential furry boots from. Neighbours
call to each other 'isn't it dreadful'
- people who we might hardly nod to for
the rest of the year, suddenly we're all
in it together.
And although the boiler has only one job
to do it's just at this time of year when
it forgets what is supposed to be doing.
I know at least half a dozen people whose
boiler has given up the ghost and I watch
mine on a daily basis, sighing with relief
and amazement when it fires up on cue.
As if winter isn't expensive enough without
having to pay for the plumbers winter
cruise. (Not my plumber of course who
is totally reliable and honest and will
come out in the depth of winter when the
boiler has blown a hole in my wall, please!)
We dress our kids in hats with massive
bobbles on and buy those spikey - shoe
things for our Nan, and stock the cupboards
up with tins of soup, just in case.
 And
even though we meant to do the Christmas
shopping early this year we just didn't
get around to it so we have to brave the
elements and go out.
Of course we're not really Christmas shopping
- we're only going out so we can say 'isn't
it awful out there' to the shop assistant,
or anyone else who'll listen.
Yes, all in all, I love the excitement
of winter weather that brings such a change
to the boring routine of life. It's a
challenge, and we all know how British
it is to rise to and conquer a challenge!
|
|
| |
