"In two days, all you smokers will be cast out into the nightmare of wind and rain that passes for British summer. What will you do then? Take our advice and quit now."
This was the headline on June 29th, two days before England implemented its smoking ban, on the BBC website. I am sitting in my office looking straight at Edinburgh castle. I have to say this could be one of the best views in the city. However, it has been a grey, stark view for many weeks now. Well today is particularly grey which has lead me to write this, my first blog. Can you write a whole blog entry about weather? You can when you live in the U.K. Last year, when Matt and I were home in Seattle, it was one of the nicest summers Scotland had seen in a long time. This year April was glorious and May and June have been wet and grey. The summer sun sets in Scotland at 22:30 leaving it quite light past 23:00. And then he wakes again at 4:30. But with the grey, heavy days we haven’t quite been able to enjoy this. I will say it has been warmer, so at least biking into work is fairly enjoyable. But I feel as heavy as the clouds today.
But the weirdest part about experiencing a summer like this for me is that it’s a complete time warp. It was the 4th of July a few days ago and although we enjoyed milkshakes outside on the royal mile, there was nothing that made it feel like July. We prayed for the looming grey cloud to hold off its spittle. There has not really been a season to break time up. I cannot believe that I will be celebrating a birthday at the end of the month, since I am true summer baby and my birthday has always consisted of summer things such as ice cream, swimming, sun, or strawberry shortcake. With any luck, and perhaps my birthday wish, is just to have it be dry.
Sadly, it takes away from enjoying my time here in Scotland. I felt myself, no, I allowed myself to get into a groove here. I am nearly starting to forget American things, small things but nonetheless. Even my colleagues who have lived here all their lives are complaining about the lack of sunshine. My colleague Luisa just said ‘Will someone please tell me when this weather is going to change?’
Before I thought of my time left in Edinburgh as a series of holidays and visits. Bristol, Manchester, Spain, Seattle, Matt’s parents to visit, Christmas travels, my Mum visiting and then poof, we’d leave. Now more than ever, I simply need to extend my mind to these oases in order to handle the constant winter weather. And that makes me sad. I have always had a tendency to live for the next cycle of my life. When I was in Madison I’d plan to live in Oregon, Seattle or Prague. When I was in Seattle, I’d plan to move to Scotland. I would like to be in the now. I am too much of a weather person and if I don’t meditate on the future, hoping that includes sun, I don’t know how I’d survive. Strange huh?
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