Having a bad day at work? Is the weather forecast reminiscent of "The Day After Tomorrow", your boss making you want to punch, if not them, then yourself in the face?
Well in this post may you find some solace. Through these weird pre winter months, gold tinted and cashmere coated by magazines and shop windows the UK over there are always the ‘dark days’. Days as pointless and unwelcoming as that space that no one can quite reach behind the fridge. Days when you idly dream of life in warmer climates, with longer days where you go from office to bar without even needing to remove your tights...because "what are tights?!" Well delete those images straight away. Because in paradise, its ‘rainy season’.
I won’t bore you with the scientific facts of rain, you all know how it works (and to be honest my interpretation would be a diagram drawn in geography at primary school). Just think, constant, heavy, and somehow still humid, rain. So when the days drag on and the tube is rammed, know that for once- you’ve actually got it good, nay, great. You may embrace this wintery weather with cosy clothes, wrap up warm for the walk from house to pub, where the worst that can happen to you is an endearing red nose which will convert to rosy cheeks as you set up camp by the fire with a roast and a glass of red and, if the pubs up to scratch, a politically incorrect game of scrabble. Save money with nights on the sofa comforted by pizza and a box set, drink tea that is not green. If these morsels of autumnal goodness are not enough, and the "extra winter layer" has taken hold a little sooner than you hoped, the end is not nigh as just over the horizon, with Pippa Middleton prepping the nation, lies the pre holiday holiday season. Kicking off with Halloween. The holiday that morphs with age from an innocent excuse to dress up and pitch up at strangers houses at night, to a less innocent excuse to dress up and pitch up at strangers houses at night.
Not your cup of tea? Well get your fill of X factor, have some bangers and mash and see the week through with the illuminating, heart warming knowledge that 5 days later its BONFIRE NIGHT Wellies, gloves, scarves, hats, fire, mulled wine, sparklers, fireworks, embarrassing dads, toffee apples, warm flattering skin by fire light.... I’m going to have to stop myself there, before I start a facebook event inviting people to our apartment on the 5th to huddle around candles and bob for apples in the kitchen sink. (this might happen)
See its not all bad, good times are hiding at the end of the long weeks, and as I am cautious not to use the C word in October..."holidays are coming". So tactfully plan some sickies to get you through the rest of November, perfect your roast, devote to and then publicly dismiss reality TV and before you know it you’re over the final hurdle.
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Bonfire night 20122 Mum Brother Me |
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| setting the scene in the back garden |
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| Apples bobbing |
Back in Singapore we will sit out the rain finding comfort in the fact that the shops still follow western seasonal trends- yep that’s right, Zara is religiously displaying knee high boots, coats, hats and faux furs- the whole shebang, so we can still go and play dress up and pretend the leaves are browning. Failing that I’m going to go and take bark prints from palmtrees with orange and brown crayons.
So take my word, the grass is not always greener, its sometimes just wetter. I’m sure there are others in this neck of the woods echoing my sentiments. Therefore for the next few weeks I am going to make it my mission to find rain worthy activities to emmerse ourselves in in Singapore. We all need a little light at the end of the tunnel!
Speak Soon
XXX
