Winter is coming

Winter is coming, and not just to the House of Stark. Winter often gets a bad rap. Like it’s Summer’s poor cousin. Something we must suffer through and endure while praying and waiting and hoping for a glimpse of sunshine. But for me, it’s more like Summer is the most popular girl at school. She’s painfully perky, all sunshine and no substance, a one trick pony. But Winter is the interesting moody one up the back. Take off the glasses and shake out the ponytail and she’s a knockout. Ok, so I may have watched a few too many teen movies but I do love it when the weather cools down.

The heat is on: I fantasise about a never ending Autumn; mildness, crispness and cardigans. If there was an Autumn fan club, I’d be president and treasurer but Winter comes a close second. The Instagram pictures would have you believe the bikini-on-a-beach path is the only righteous path. My pasty skin, inability to tolerate humidity and well earned nickname, sweaty vetty, beg to differ. Excess heat makes me feel annoyed and fatigued. Sleep quality and quantity suffers. It’s still light at 9pm! My bedtime. The moors of my ancestral land are calling. Heathcliff! Expectations are high to have the best Summer ever and this inevitably leaves me feeling like a failed pile of melted goo on the ground.

Blankets and boots and books oh my! Colder weather means more cosiness and less sweatiness. Guilt free sleeping in and early nights without screaming sunlight piercing your slumber. Burying yourself in a blanket or a bath with a book and a giant cup of tea. This is what the Danish call Hygge. A mood of cosiness and comfortable conviviality with feelings of wellness and contentment. Candles and ugg boots at close range. Getting from A to B without risking sunburn, sweat patches and dehydration. Clip clopping down the streets in your boots that are made for walking and that’s just what they’ll do. Layers of clothing draped around so your looks are pale and wild, and do import some misadventure. I mean how can summer possibly compete with that?

In Melbourne, the cold weather also means the comedy fest, film fest and football. I’m more inclined towards the first 2 but I do love how footy’s colourful jumpers fill the trains with impassioned cheers and the sudden bursts into the team song (surprising camp, rousing and jaunty tunes). We are lucky in Australia that we still get daylight during Winter and crispy sunny days and 4 seasons in one day in Melbourne so it may be 19 degrees one day, 40 the next. Ultimately I aim to accept each season with grace and gratitude but come on guys, you gotta admit, Winter is a knockout and you want to take her to prom.

Love and light and she’s all that xxx Yvette

 Hygge: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hygge

Not another teen movie: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CXYlv-z_xHQ

Bit from Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet:

BALTHASAR

I do beseech you, sir, have patience.

Your looks are pale and wild, and do import

Some misadventure.