So this weekend the mother of all storms headed our way. The thunder was so loud yesterday it shook the lab and had a really loud thud - I actually thought someone had dropped or managed to push over one of the rather heavy, expensive pieces of equipment we have at work. So went out of the lab (which doesnt directly look outside) and looked out of the write up room windows and the rain was so thick you just about couldn't see through it. Unreal - so was a complete surprise when I woke up this morning and there was blue sky to be seen. I liked that a lot and started making plans to go into Wellington and grab B's Schoc chocolate and coffee beans to send to Shepshed asap. Then it got very dark and the heavens (cause God hangs out in Totara Park) opened and gale force winds ripped through shaking the darling buds of September! Then I thought well everything I wanted to buy can be found online and I will order them when I am in Napier. That and my coat needed a clean so I whacked it into the washing machine this morning - just another reason not to go to Wellington today.
Which brings me back to that this year is notable for a number of things but will be remembered as the year of the three winters. My first winter was in the UK - which was the coldest for 31 years and was memorable for lots and lots of snow, buses skidding sideways and a taxi putting on the brakes two houses away from our apartment and skidding to a halt directly outside our driveway. Not having grown up in place where there is a lot of snow (I didn't really experience snow till I went to live in South Korea) - Napier is more known for sun, sun, sun. I loved the snow - don't love the ice so much. Decided I love our awesomely insulated and double glazed skylights as well - it makes a difference.
The second winter has been in the land of the long white cloud - or rather black grey clouds and freezing cold. I forgot my thermals and had to get B to send them over - Doh! And it has been sometimes decidedly unpleasant without a car (Upper Hutt is not known for its excellent transport) I took to wearing two scarves and hiding under trees whilst waiting for the bus (no bus shelter sigh). The house I have been living in is quite light and sunny, but NZ houses aren't known for double glazing or insulation, so when it is cold, it is really cold. But having said that the temperature has moved in an upwards direction just in time for me to make an exit stage left back to the UK in time for my third winter. I must admit that it wasn't planned to be the three winters in a row - I had to come back to NZ to get a visa to stay in the UK - which took longer than I thought and was quite stressful really - but all sorted now and I have the lovely but expensive visa sticker in my passport and I will guard it well!!
I now have my eyeballs on a new winter coat and some wool tights for our trip to Glasgow to ring in the Christmas Party with Psychochicken and his most lovely woman. Rock on with the snow!
S.
No comments:
Post a Comment