Cold weather dreaming

 

When my husband and I moved to England, my first favourite thing about living in a new country was how wonderfully cold it was. After coming from a place of humid summers and mild winters, I happily embraced the idea of being freezing cold. I loved wearing woolly hats and gloves and coats. Snoods! I do love a good snood (wearing one as I type!). I remember the looks on people’s faces when they found out that I was from New Zealand, yet loved the English weather. They thought I was completely bonkers. It turned out they knew a thing or two, as, after nine years of grey skies, I realised that, perhaps I did need a little more sun in my life, and I have really enjoyed the beautiful sunshine down in this part of the world…

…but boy, do I miss the cold and the snow. My heroine, Jael Furyck, hates the cold, but me? I’m dreaming of moving to somewhere in Scandinavia where you have to change your tyres and stock up on your winter stores, preparing to be snowed in. Or maybe Canada? I want some real cold with snow up to your windows. A cosy fire. Snow days. Hot chocolates. White Christmases. Thermals!

In New Zealand, we are currently embracing spring, and although my garden is rocking, I feel wistful for those places that are watching the leaves turn and drop, wondering if their kids need new winter coats or boots. Maybe getting a load of firewood in, and having the car checked over in preparation for winter roads. Or is that just my mad desire to be prepared for every weather situation? I do remember slippery ice and dirty slush, and the tediousness of dressing small children in layers and layers of clothing to go outside and play, only to have them change their minds five minutes later! But I would happily endure all of the inconveniences to sit in my office with a fire burning and the snow falling outside my window, while I’m wrapped up in warm jumper, drinking my hot chocolate.

It’s nice to dream!

And yes, that’s me on one of those fabulous snow days I remember from England.