I am in agreement with Furious Gopher about the "end of summer". As our tans fade and the North wind grows chilly, as the days shorten and we pile on the winter lbs, this is the beginning of the dark time; we lament the summer sun for another 6 months.
It's enough to make anyone wonder why we still live on this cursed island -it's not that I hate winter, as such. I like being with my family at Christmas, I like the girls with tinsel in their hair, I like mulled wine and open fires and crisp white snow as much as the next man, but I hate the dark and I hate the cold and both of these things dominate my winter experience from about mid October to mid March.
Maybe I should move.
Perhaps you should. But why on earth would you want to live in a country where the turn of the seasons was less wonderful? I look forward to every season – even winter – as they’re individually so very different. The change of seasons helps to make life interesting and fun and sometimes challenging. And winter may be cold and dark, but so what? Neither of these things is permanent. For me, there’s no nicer feeling than knowing I’m safe and warm indoors on a cold, dark winter’s night. It’s not just the fun of Christmas and New Year – winter’s about evenings in with friends, warm woolly jumpers, not having to do anything with the garden, new boots, hot home-made soup … and looking forward to spring! Why not try to enjoy it more, and stop whinging about the lack of sunshine!