Thursday 4 December 2008

California Dreamin'


Is anyone else fed up of winter already? Fed up of the biting cold, monotonous grey sky and constant, fine, hair-fizzing drizzle? Fed up of the dark nights and the eerie atmosphere of a light-deprived open space where grey-faced colleagues stare at fuzzy computer screens?
And the worst part is: it isn’t even officially winter yet. Not until December 21st can we feel legitimately cold and miserable.

If only I was a passionate skier and could look forward to a potential season of snow and thrilling sensations…
Sadly, I prefer the less high-risk pleasure of lying on warm sand with the sun caressing my bikini-clad body.
I’d rather glide through a little warm Mediterranean sea water than whiz down a white slop clad in ten layers of puffy, garish skiwear.
I’d rather eat a Greek salad than a cassoulet.

In short, winter is not for me.

So why, why, why, I ask myself, did I dare to complain about the heat in Martinique this summer? How could I have moaned and winged and longed to feel a cool breeze on my hot and bothered cheeks? What was I thinking of? I should have savoured every steaming, boiling second of it, and stocked up enough sunny hormones to get me through this horrible winter.

How wise we are after the event. How easy it is to appreciate the beauty of a moment with the benefit of six months hindsight…

But perhaps the main purpose of winter is to give us something to look forward to. Our patience and imagination are fine-tuned as we dream of a future filled with sea breezes and natural light.

PS The photo is from Martinique, not California, but you get the idea.

2 comments:

Delphine said...

STONES AND SPICES
I like so much the way you write your posts !
I let myself imagine that you choose your words one by one, like stones for a necklace or spices for a meal.
I "see" you seated near a window, the light on your face, bended on the keyboard, a smile on your lips as you are about to select one word or another, a peacefull athmosphere (BB is in bed for sure...)
Your stories are almost like pictures of a movie in fact, a glimpse on everyday life, but with something different: the art of selecting and enhancing.

Shirl said...

Thank you for the lovely comment, Delphine: so well expressed!