Monday 11 April 2011

SPRING HAS SPRUNG


There is something happening in London right now. In simple terms, it’s called spring and let me tell you, it is something to behold. And happily so, it always redefines why I love this city as much as I do. Needless to say, after a long winter, trust me, the love affair starts to wane, or at least lose focus. You see, when you live in a place with four seasons, you look forward to the change between them with great anticipation. Well actually, let me rephrase that, you look forward to the change OUT of winter, let's be honest. Don’t get me wrong, winter has its charm and cozy atmospheric hibernation thing working for it; but after about twelve weeks of it, you’re good and ready to stop wearing a belted sleeping bag.

In places where you can always expect sunshine like where I am from in California – why the heck did I move again?? (sorry, I digress) after awhile you start to take it for granted. In fact, at times the perpetual sunshine can become almost boring. But here in jolly ol' England you earn the sunshine. In fact, you beg and pine for it like a heat starved junky; you sit through winter and try to imagine what it will feel like when you can take off your eight layers and simply feel the sun shine on your shoulders. Trust me, I’m not being dramatic.

And then suddenly out of nowhere you hear on the weather forecast that suddenly it’s supposed to hit 22 on the weekend (for you Fahrenheit folks, that’s around 71 degrees). Of course you scoff at the TV knowing the weather forecasters are NEVER right – it is almost comical how wrong they get it – and this simply got their countries wrong - that's Spain you fools! But then it is confirmed by every channel you check, and you suddenly think could it be? Could spring actually be coming? Good lord, where the heck are my sandals and razor, these ghostly limbs are going to see sunlight!!

The best part of this change is what happens to the city. People become nicer, the parks spill over with people having picnics and eating ice cream, kids playing football, dogs and cats hug embracing, liberals and Tories kiss on the mouth. Just kidding. But seriously, the whole country does suddenly have a spring in its step - pun intended - and you can actually feel the profound shift in energy. In fact, it’s one of the only times you will hear a Brit tell you to 'have a nice day' (for those of you finding this occurrence dubious, the woman at the post office just said it to me, so there).

And of course, as all Brits will attest, you never know how long it will last, so appreciate every sodding second of it. Cause this one week of glorious weather in April could turn out to be our summer. 


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