The winter blues

Daily Prompt: Turn, Turn, Turn

by michelle w. on April 8, 2013

For many of us, winter is blooming into spring, or fall hardening into winter. Which season do you most look forward to?

Monday blues might be influencing my mood in this post but here it goes; Easter weekend has come and gone. As usual, it brought rain and cold weather. In my eyes Autumn might as well be Winter, because it’s just as cold and gloomy and Spring isn’t as warm as Summer. Therefore putting all these seasons together I feel like the entire year is made up of cold, extra cold with rain and then windy until the year ends with Summer.  

I know I’m only 27 but I think I have arthritis because my bones ache in the cold. When its cold my body folds into itself for warmth and it takes a lot of effort not to look like a short little hunch-back. My skin goes pale and the rings under my eyes are highlighted along with other random blemishes. Getting up in the morning is the worst. The bed is warm and the sheets are smooth, I might be wearing a beanie because my ears get cold. Then I have to get out of the soft heap and be embraced by frosty air to face the grey day. 

When its cold and raining I just want to stay indoors, watch movies and eat. There’s nothing wrong with that but it gets boring. When I’m bored I eat, when I’m cold I eat, I don’t want to be active, I just want to curl into a ball and hibernate.  

Even in Spring I keep my electric blanket tucked between the sheets, just in case. (People from elsewhere may think I’m ridiculous because it doesn’t even snow here. But sometimes it does snow here… on the mountain… and that affects me OK.)

I don’t think I could survive snow. A one day trip to the mountain to see snow, just so that I can say I’ve experienced it,  is on my to-do list but then I want a hot bath and no-more coldness. I always get sick in March and April with the change of season. Every year, without fail. I’m only just recovering from a cold, I felt rotten this weekend (so imagine me narrating this with a blocked nose). 

As a result of the above, I treasure Summer. Summer is glorious. Its 3 months of bliss to me. Here in Cape Town, South Africa, summer represents festivities, hence Festive Season. We celebrate Christmas, New Year and everyone is on vacation. We have amazing beaches, rivers, lakes, pools, fantastic outdoor markets, night markets, street parties, house parties, pool parties and braais (BBQ) with friends. 

Sure you could do some of these in Winter but it’s not the same, skinny dipping will not be the same. In Summer, the days are longer too so you get more done. Your energy levels are just higher for some reason and outdoor fun takes place 24/7. Anyone with small kids will tell you, when the kids can’t go outside, they get bored and when they get bored, they get whiny and irritable. I wouldn’t mind winter if I didn’t have a 15 month old to entertain or if it was just me and I don’t have to leave the house (or my bed). 

When its warm and weathers great you don’t need to wear 3 layers of clothes to bed, you can sleep naked and getting out of bed is so easy. You wake up to sunshine and chirping birds. Some people say they can’t take the heat, to them I say, “BLEGH, take a bath in ice, you boring burger!” It doesn’t get that hot here, that its unbearable. Its just perfect. 

The sun. I miss the sun. I’m holding desperately onto the last hint of tan I still have. I’m wearing knee-high socks today but my toes are still uncomfortably chilly. I really don’t want to wish the year away, I know its not all bad. I just hope Winter is kind to me this year. 

My cousin and I relaxing on the Breede River last Summer