It's coming!
The clocks have gone forward. Hurrah! Finally, we are putting the gloomy winter behind us and heading towards summer.
Summer in England is great. We appreciate it, because it only lasts for about three months. Those who have year-round sunshine don't appreciate it so much, because it's normal to them. There is nothing better than the English countryside basking in the warmth. The greenery takes on a more defined hue, flowers add vivid colour, and there are no insects that can actually kill you to. There is only the wasp to worry about, a thing that surely proves the non-existance of God. What intelligent deity would design such a pointless creature?
The period from October to about now is awful. When you wake up, it's dark. When you leave work, it's dark. All your daylight hours are spent in an office. This is not good for the soul. And even on the weekends, it's cold and rainy so you can't go out and do much. But now, it's light when you wake up and light when you leave work. It's still bloody cold, but at least it's an improvement.
After October you have the brief respite of Christmas where you get to be all cheery and happy, until January when the credit card bills come in. I suppose January can sometimes throw one of those clear, crisp winter days that are nice to walk in, provided you have enough layers of clothing on, but you still only have a few hours in which to enjoy them.
Many people state spring as their favourite time of year. This is stupid. It's like saying you prefer the warm-up band to the main headliners. And as for autumn, that's like preferring the Rolling Stones now to the Rolling Stones of 35 years ago. Not the same. Past its best.
Summer is where it's at for me. 30 degrees, sunglasses mandatory. I can even wear a baseball cap without looking like a chav, because it's necessary for the heat (it helps that mine says Land Rover Owner's Club of Malaysia rather than Nike on it, though). I can get into a baking car and put the aircon on full blast. I can go home and actually sit outside. Eating dinner outdoors is one of life's hugely underrated pleasures. We can go on picnics and nice walks in the countryside. I can goto the pub at lunchtime and sit outside and have a pint. Everyone is just happier in the summer. June, July and August are fantastic.
But then September rolls around, and whilst it often starts of promisingly, it soon deteriorates, then the clocks go back again, heat and daylight are extinguished, and another 6 months of gloom and despair set in.
But, for now, things are looking up. Summer is coming and not even Tony Blair can stop it!
Summer in England is great. We appreciate it, because it only lasts for about three months. Those who have year-round sunshine don't appreciate it so much, because it's normal to them. There is nothing better than the English countryside basking in the warmth. The greenery takes on a more defined hue, flowers add vivid colour, and there are no insects that can actually kill you to. There is only the wasp to worry about, a thing that surely proves the non-existance of God. What intelligent deity would design such a pointless creature?
The period from October to about now is awful. When you wake up, it's dark. When you leave work, it's dark. All your daylight hours are spent in an office. This is not good for the soul. And even on the weekends, it's cold and rainy so you can't go out and do much. But now, it's light when you wake up and light when you leave work. It's still bloody cold, but at least it's an improvement.
After October you have the brief respite of Christmas where you get to be all cheery and happy, until January when the credit card bills come in. I suppose January can sometimes throw one of those clear, crisp winter days that are nice to walk in, provided you have enough layers of clothing on, but you still only have a few hours in which to enjoy them.
Many people state spring as their favourite time of year. This is stupid. It's like saying you prefer the warm-up band to the main headliners. And as for autumn, that's like preferring the Rolling Stones now to the Rolling Stones of 35 years ago. Not the same. Past its best.
Summer is where it's at for me. 30 degrees, sunglasses mandatory. I can even wear a baseball cap without looking like a chav, because it's necessary for the heat (it helps that mine says Land Rover Owner's Club of Malaysia rather than Nike on it, though). I can get into a baking car and put the aircon on full blast. I can go home and actually sit outside. Eating dinner outdoors is one of life's hugely underrated pleasures. We can go on picnics and nice walks in the countryside. I can goto the pub at lunchtime and sit outside and have a pint. Everyone is just happier in the summer. June, July and August are fantastic.
But then September rolls around, and whilst it often starts of promisingly, it soon deteriorates, then the clocks go back again, heat and daylight are extinguished, and another 6 months of gloom and despair set in.
But, for now, things are looking up. Summer is coming and not even Tony Blair can stop it!
posted by Nej at
1:13 pm
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