February seems to be the month I write about the weather – perhaps because February is both when we often enjoy the best part of summer, but also when we sense the changing nature of the sun, and reawakens our fear that summer might disappear any moment now.
On this day in 2009, I worried aloud on Fb that summer was not going to come back. 45 minutes later, the sun had come out and I was happy. The fear remained, though, and the very next day I blogged about these days of foreboding. I remember complaining later that summer ended around 23rd February that year. (I remember the date, because it was when my sister arrived in Wellington to go shopping for her wedding dress. I blame her!)
A year later, on 25 February 2010, I posted on Fb, “Warm sun, breeze through the house, first free day in a month, chardonnay chilling in the fridge, good book waiting.” Later, I commented on hearing “a horn, sounding deep and long. I think it must be the cruise ship, saying farewell to Wellington on this gorgeous day.” I post more frequently when I’ve poured myself a chardonnay.
On 22 February 2011, the big Christchurch earthquake struck, and we were all in shock. But earlier that month I’d taken the time to enjoy the cicadas and the “hot hot hot” weather.
In February 2012, I travelled to Singapore and Thailand, so for once wasn’t obsessed with the Wellington summer. Though if I’m honest, I was probably a little worried that I was away for the best part of our summer! Generally, we try to avoid travelling in February for precisely this reason.
In February 2013, I wrote What a difference a day makes, contrasting the sunny and gloomy days that make up our summer.
In February 2014, I blogged about the beautiful but eerie mists hanging over the city.
In February 2015, it was a rainy summer Monday, and I was thinking about the changeability of our weather – a feature of living on islands in the southern Pacific Ocean.
Today, 25 February 2016, I am looking forward to my chardonnay this evening (any moment now in fact), I’m enjoying listening to the cicadas outside, and although the wind is a bit stronger than I’d like, I am pleased it is managing to keep the temperature down.
I love taking the time to look back on the years. We are having the strangest winter, and the light is starting to tease spring, but I can’t let myself believe this. I’m guessing we’ll have blizzards all of April. Cheers!
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