January Doldrums
Christmas is gone, let it go. There have been good moments, bad moments, regular moments, and moments when I just wanted to fast forward six months. The pressure and the excess came to a head on the Saturday before New Year's Eve, as I was doing my weekly food shopping. I was contemplating vegetables for the big dinner on the Eve, and the big lunch on the next day, trying to decide which I would cook. I just felt something rip inside and said to myself, "I don't care!" and went to the checkout. We had just had tons of food on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, were going to have tons more on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day, and then repeat on Epiphany, which is definitely celebrated here. Too much!
To top it off, the cold is back. The days are sunny, with the warm sun beckoning us outside, but the nights are down to freezing, and my favorite spot at night is standing in front of the wood stove. My little laptop has some problems; my open tabs crash without warning. Instead of sitting in the morning-sunny kitchen, I have to use the computer in my study, and it's cold in here. I have an electric heater, but I hate to use it outside my class hours because the electric bill went up some more on the first, just like everything else. My writing and my art has therefore suffered inattention.
Still, it's not as bad here as in eastern Europe. Even Athens has seen snow this week. Further cold is expected here by the end of the week, but by the time it reaches us, the air will be dry, and we'll only receive clear nights with below freezing temperatures and hoar frost that will tinge everything white until the sun hits it. The main (and possibly only) reason for winter, snow, will not reach us, not this time. Whereas in Austria, and other spots, the snow level has reached various feet, I would greatly have appreciated a light dusting. It would have been enough to keep everyone at home, here. One of the disadvantages of living on the Atlantic coast is the lack of decent snowfall.
These are the days I dream of June and its long, drawn-out days, its warm temperatures, and the promise of summer and summertime memories. Now, as I struggle to pull on layers in the morning to escape the sudden cold when I pull back the blankets, I dream of slipping on a t-shirt and shorts without a shiver. Now I dream of taking a shower without a qualm, instead of turning on the heater, and still shivering in the warmed-up bathroom. Now, I dream of opening windows and smelling pine trees and green grass in the warming air.
At least, from this moment onwards, the direction is toward June. The dark days of December are past; the waning has stopped. Slowly, the light will grow stronger and the days warmer. There are still some cold days to get through, but they will pass.
To top it off, the cold is back. The days are sunny, with the warm sun beckoning us outside, but the nights are down to freezing, and my favorite spot at night is standing in front of the wood stove. My little laptop has some problems; my open tabs crash without warning. Instead of sitting in the morning-sunny kitchen, I have to use the computer in my study, and it's cold in here. I have an electric heater, but I hate to use it outside my class hours because the electric bill went up some more on the first, just like everything else. My writing and my art has therefore suffered inattention.
Still, it's not as bad here as in eastern Europe. Even Athens has seen snow this week. Further cold is expected here by the end of the week, but by the time it reaches us, the air will be dry, and we'll only receive clear nights with below freezing temperatures and hoar frost that will tinge everything white until the sun hits it. The main (and possibly only) reason for winter, snow, will not reach us, not this time. Whereas in Austria, and other spots, the snow level has reached various feet, I would greatly have appreciated a light dusting. It would have been enough to keep everyone at home, here. One of the disadvantages of living on the Atlantic coast is the lack of decent snowfall.
These are the days I dream of June and its long, drawn-out days, its warm temperatures, and the promise of summer and summertime memories. Now, as I struggle to pull on layers in the morning to escape the sudden cold when I pull back the blankets, I dream of slipping on a t-shirt and shorts without a shiver. Now I dream of taking a shower without a qualm, instead of turning on the heater, and still shivering in the warmed-up bathroom. Now, I dream of opening windows and smelling pine trees and green grass in the warming air.
At least, from this moment onwards, the direction is toward June. The dark days of December are past; the waning has stopped. Slowly, the light will grow stronger and the days warmer. There are still some cold days to get through, but they will pass.
Comments
Post a Comment