Tag: weather

British Summertime

It’s a funny kind of day today. Not sunny enough for long enough to sit outside, but sunny enough to make you feel guilty for sitting indoors. It’s warm when the sun’s out, but chilly when it’s not. I’m sat indoors, but I’m sat near the window if that counts for anything. 

*sighs* I’ve got that ‘end of the weekend’ feeling. At least I think that’s what it is. I’ve sat for about an hour and a half now wondering where all my enthusiasm for life is gone. I’m wondering how on Earth I’m going to write a chirpy blog post when I can’t even remember why I was so happy when I woke up this morning. As far as Dave knows, I’m keeping up with the Euros game on the tv. I enjoy watching a good football match, but when he said he wanted to watch the match this afternoon I couldn’t help feeling disgruntled. I am the definition of melancholy. This week has been fantastic and yet the look on my face right now is probably enough to convince anyone I’ve hit rock bottom. 

I had a lovely, chilled day at my grandparents last Sunday. My granny cooked an amazing roast dinner, I read a bit more of Life of Pi and I made a start on my scrapbook.

My weekday evenings were super busy. I did go along to help my singing teacher out at ‘Little to Big Voices’ and I was so impressed by all the talent amongst her pupils there. I saw episode 9 of Game of Thrones and it was EPIC and I won’t say anymore than that. I had dinner with one of my best friends. I went along to celebrate my Auntie’s birthday with her mid-week. She was so grateful to everyone for being there and her friends had bought her such lovely presents: It was a beautiful evening. I made it to a fitness class and believe me that was a challenge. I did a crazy amount of running around at work this week AND I went on a terrifying high ropes course with the kids. My legs and arms were killing me by the time Friday came around, but I was also feeling super positive about the job and the future.

My friend who’s off to Australia for six months had her Leaving Do yesterday. We BBQ’d all day (through sunshine and thunderstorms) and then went out out in the evening. I had such a good time and I hope she did too. I still can’t bear the thought of her going away for so long, but I just can’t wait to hear all about it when we skype.

I have a good feeling about this week. Adele’s 25 is now finally available for streaming which is going to make the drives to work much more enjoyable. On the topic of Adele, I cannot wait to watch her Glastonbury performance and reminisce about seeing her at the O2 back in March. It sounds like she took Glastonbury by storm. Pretty Little Liars Season 7 is out too. AND Episode 10 of Game of Thrones is on tomorrow night. In fact, there’s so much good tv I need to watch, who needs sunshine? Here’s hoping it rains all week so I can spend my evenings in bed catching up on tv, guilt-free. 

Sunshine, Cocktails and Flappy Birds

I am no expert, but I think I’ve been suffering from a serious case of the infamous winter blues.

January and February, through no real fault of their own, have very bad reputations. January signifies the end of the holiday season and our return to every day life. It is as we struggle through January’s wind and rain that we begin to realise just how far away the summer really is. February is infamous because by February most of us notice we’ve already failed the New Year Resolutions we were determined to keep. It always tends to be a struggle for us single folk, no matter how much we claim we love the single life and completely oppose Valentine’s Day.

As someone who has always been just as fond of the winter as the summer, normally I wouldn’t sympathise. (Snow, wooly jumpers, wellington boots, yummy Christmas leftovers, what’s to complain about?) This year, for the first time, I understand. Since coming back to Cardiff I’ve spent an unjustifiable amount of time in my onesie, drinking wine, eating chocolate and ice cream, cuddling my hot water bottle, watching TV in bed, singing love ballads and wishing I were Bridget Jones. I’ve spent a ridiculous amount of time complaining about slow internet connectivity, my lack of boyfriend, the cold, the wind, the rain, and my subsequent lack of determination.

Then last Friday, Cardiff woke up to sunshine. Me and my flatmate spent the day making the most of it. Sat on a bench, eating hot cross buns in the sun, I found myself smiling hugely. When we left the pub after getting cocktails that evening and it was raining again, I didn’t even grumble. I walked home alongside her, sharing her umbrella and singing songs from various musicals. It failed to bother me when it rained Saturday night because I was babysitting in a warm house, on a sofa, curled up with a cat, a cup of tea and two lovely children who introduced me to the infuriating world of Flappy Bird. When it was raining on Sunday, I was in the library, feeling abnormally determined and powering through reading for the history seminars of the week.

I am sure that days like today can be blamed for winter blues Wales-wide. To say that the walk into the university was difficult would be an understatement: Gale force winds pushed me forwards, backwards, sideways and very nearly straight into someone’s dustbin. BUT, university today was well worth the journey. I went to two and a half hours of music lectures which were probably the most interesting lectures I’ve been to since coming to Cardiff. In the afternoon I had a meeting with my history lecturer, who in just half an hour, managed to make me feel like I could conquer the world. I couldn’t tell you what it was he said that gave me so much enthusiasm, but I left his office wanting to run home, boil the kettle, make tea and immediately start writing my essay.

Now, I’m sat smiling hugely and wondering what on earth I had to moan about. I’m not really sure where this determination came from… exposure to sunlight, introduction to Flappy Birds? How ever it got here I hope it stays. As for the winter blues, no matter how much rain I have to power through this week, I hope I’ve seen the back of them.