The Days Are Getting Shorter

Throughout my childhood, I remember the adults frequently discussing how the older they got, the faster the years flew by. As my friends and I reach milestone 25th and 30th birthdays we find ourselves saying the same. This year, perhaps to reflect our ages and the realisation that we are, in fact, adults now and therefore old, we have started talking about the weather more too. Mostly, how damn quickly summer turned to winter this year.

Autumn lasted about 3 minutes before a cold snap took over and my heater even came in from the garage. The bed now has an extra blanket and I'm sitting in my pyjamas as I write this. In fact, Squish came over earlier in her pyjamas. I almost wish there had been reason for her to be arrested or at the very least pulled over on her way. It would be a good story to tell our kids one day. After I made it my Facebook status.

I digress. The point is, I hate winter. I love sunshine and barbeques and cold drinks that make you feel better and not having to wear 7 layers just to feel normal. Nowhere on the Bliss List do you see 'losing the feeling in my toes' or 'getting soaked on the way to the car'. I feel the cold very easily so while a few people around me are thanking the stars that the heat has subsided, I'm shivering and patting myself on the back for being smart enough to ship off to the European summer in 56 days time. Holy shiznik that's soon.

http://www.kensmithillustration.com/

It doesn't actually snow here but whatever

As I sit here under my feather down duvet, in my winter pyjamas (Squish got to, I practically had to follow suit) and sipping on my sugar-free hot chocolate (thank you Jarrah, blessed manufacturers of god-like substances), I'm reminded that for the first couple of weeks at least, winter ain't so bad.

I love smelling crock pot meals cooking away. You know how much I love my roast dinners too. I love how the light changes and the bulbs inside the house suddenly feel warmer. I love the crispness of the air when I'm bundled up and the sun is out but the air is cold. I love listening to rain at night and watching it out the window during the day. I love cuddling up to watch a movie and not rolling away a sweaty mess. I love my heater. I love Izzy's winter fluff and Toby's winter mane. I love, just a little bit, that the nail season of parties and disposable income gives way to staying indoors and paying for heating, so that I have a smidgen more time to myself. I love scarves. I love ugg boots. I love being snuggly. I love one-hour Shortland Street on Mondays.

I am a person that is seriously affected by winter blues. The last month of winter, before we defrost and come out of hibernation, is hell for me and everyone around me. I get depressed, unmotivated and teary. My generally half full glass teeters dangerously on the edge of full blown miserability. I don't care if that's not a word.

I'm glad for you and I alike that I'll be out of the country for much of winter, but I'm thankful for these few weeks of snuggles and duvets and... ooh, soup. I should make soup. So next time that I mention how much I hate the air feeling damp all the time, the fact that no matter how hot my shower is some part of me is freezing, that i can never find quite enough layers to keep me satisfied, that my ugg boots let the puddles in when I wear them to the supermarket (5 years isn't old, ugg boots get better with age), that the nail money is drying up or that the dog ran mud inside again, remind me of the good bits. Or remind me that it will be summer again in 56 days and tell me to shut up.

Are you a winter or summer person? You northern hemispherites are lucky suckers. No matter where you are, what's the one thing you're most looking forward to in the changing season?