It’s On Days Like This

Its on days like this that  I really wish I was some place other than London, and by that I mean not just any place but some place warm, with clear blue skies, golden sands and a beautiful sea to jump into, in which to cool down. A place much like Barbados, where I lived for 9 months,  as well as spending numerous month long holidays there.

Its wet and windy in London and I suppose the saving grace is that it isn’t too cold. This recent crap weather hasn’t came as a surprise for me. I’m of course Scottish and sure as hell know what to expect from the weather during the winter. In fact if anything I’m amazed at how good the weather has been so far this year in London, in comparison to back home in the North East of Scotland.

I know being a Scots loon I shouldn’t be too troubled by what London has to offer as far as cold weather is concerned. My doctor said to me the other day, this weather wont be nothing compared to what you are use too from where you come from, which is very true. This miserable weather may not be effecting my body, but it is effecting my mind.

My resistance to cold weather, which was built up through decades of living in Aberdeen, where it can get dam cold, wet, windy and miserable and that’s during the summer! My resistance to cold weather, was well and truly lowered during the 9 months I lived in Barbados. My ability to battle and deal with cold weather isn’t there like it once was. It is probably a mental thing.

When I arrived in London off the flight from Barbados in early February, I was amazed at how cold it was. It felt like I was in the Antarctic that’s how cold I felt. My whole body use to literally shake every time I went outside, and I had a constant cold for about my first 8 weeks here. It was a crazy time for me, I thought WTF did I not just wait till April or May until I came to London.

People whom I knew, thought I was having a laugh when I said my body cant take this London cold. It was the usual comments and strange looks, especially from my London born ex wife who knows first hand how much colder it is in the Granite City Aberdeen.

You haven’t lived until you have walked along Aberdeen Beach or Balmedie Beach on a freezing cold February morning. There is nothing quite like the chilly North Sea wind blowing right through your bones. It doesn’t matter how many layers of clothes you have on it still gets you. I use to love it, it makes you realise your still very much alive.

Its on days like this that London isn’t such a cool place to be, that’s just the way it is. The day I start enjoying wet, windy and miserable weather will be the day I get myself checked into the lunatics asylum.

I was planning on heading to Alexandra Palace and Park to find out for myself how good the views of London are from there. I have got it on good authority that I will be impressed by what I find. Who knows I might be brave and head there anyway. If not I have plan B, which involves a few dusty old pubs or should I say historic pubs in the aid of research. Well I have a good excuse my African Princess is working and I need to amuse myself.

I must admit its on days like this that I wish, I had the money to be able to head to the Caribbean for a month or two, to chill out and take things easy, without a care in the world. One of these days if I keep on working hard and stay motivated I know my dreams will come true.

I suppose what I need to remind myself of, is that even though the sky is dark grey, full of rain clouds and its lashing down with rain, is that If we never had crap weather we wouldn’t be able to truly appreciate the nice days when we them get.

Its on days like this I that think it is the perfect time to play some feel good music, which never fails to cheer me up. The last time I heard “I Can See Clearly Now” by Jimmy Cliff I was sitting in a Rum Shop in Barbados, drinking Ice Cold Banks Beer, with what felt like the weight of the  world on my shoulders.

My marriage was truly fucked up and over, I had almost drowned a few days previously, my new girlfriend was a pian in the ass  and to put the icing on the cake, and I had a few hours earlier received news that I didn’t want to hear, which was that the gasket had blown on my car. But on hearing Jimmy Cliff come blasting out of the sound system in that run down old Rum Shop made me realise things aren’t that bad and that everything was going to be okay.

 

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