One would think sitting here on the tail end of July with a fan buzzing away at my side as I croak out these words that I was bathed in glorious sunshine. That my Crocs (rubber shoes not pets) would be smoking on the back porch from yet another blisteringly hot ramble through the Welsh hills, while the cat sought relief in shade with a shrew puppet. Thats how it would be in a lot of places. Barbecue smoke ascending from every garden as toddlers and beer bellied men wallowed in flimsy looking paddling pools.
Alas it is not to be as I live in West Wales, on a tiny corner of the United Kingdom and it seems we don't 'do' good weather here, its just not British. We do real ales and fried breakfasts, seasides and young hoodlums (often together) but attracting a bit of lasting sunshine is beyond our Sceptred Isle. (Who said septic? Go to the back of the blog.)
Oh we get it occasionaly when theres nothing interesting happening elsewhere in the world. If its quiet on the Mediterrean front or nothing doing in Australia, then the sun will show its buttery face over Blighty but by and large we are persona non grata to the mighty orb. Even if the beer is COLD and pinball tables twinkling.
I wonder why this is? I know we can be a grumpy bunch but surely the sun can't hear our whining? Not from that height.
My guess it was down to one of those pagan druids who damned us to everlasting rain. They were always potching with spells while dancing starkers on mushrooms. Probably offended the Weather God who is not the most content of chaps to start with. (Well He DOES change his mind often but as He's a God I guess He's allowed.)
Its sad really because we have some beautiful places to visit for both locals and tourists alike. Look at Pembrokeshire doer example with places like Solva, Tenby and Newgale, which when the sun is out are truly stunning, almost like relics of fantasy lands dropped into reality to keep the notion of paradise alive. Places definately gauranteed to soothe away the anxieties of even the most restless spirit.
But anyway enough of sounding like the West Wales tourism board, lets get to the (vaguely) serious topic of British weather. Having a near constant grey canopy to live under can be extremely daunting because it robs one of the OOMPH (Americans would call it ZIP) to get out of bed in a positive and jovial manner. Its little wonder that across the pond you are greeted in shops with a merry 'Have A Nice Day Sir/Madam,' whilst over here its more like a gruff 'paper? 40p mate now sod off!' And while the last few words might be exaggeration on my part its not too far off the mark, but can you blame us? Our climate would take the grin off a dolphin.
And this whiny rant (oh I know when im whining don't worry) is coming from someone who rather dislikes the sun. Living in somewhere like Australia would send me around the bend. (Make that another bend.)
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