Monday 12 September 2011

Autumn - Part I


My favourite season. Many mourn the loss of Summer with no more tanning opportunities, but I’ve never had good legs so I’m happy back in trousers or woolly tights. Also, emotionally it’s a much safer season: A hot drink on a cold crisp day outside is lovely; a sticky, hot pic-nic with wasps and flies is distressing. When it rains and howls a gale on your Summer holiday it’s upsetting and disappointing, we feel personally slighted and hard-done-by, not so in Autumn. We expect rain & automatically re-focus our hopes and plans so that if it rains it becomes a chance to curl up and watch old movies, drink hot chocolate and stuff yourself with Autumn/Winter food goodies, such as apples and late Summer berry crumbles and pies, hearty soups and stews. Marvellous. Gets my vote over lettuce every time.

I think I was a hibernating creature in a previous existence, because for me it’s the season to ‘get my nest in order’. I’m not bothered by Spring Cleaning – leave it, we’ll eat outside…but come Autumn I know I’m going to be indoors for the next few months so I’m more motivated to have a clear-out or slap some paint on the walls. Then once I’ve had a good sort and things are in order I can relax with new season TV. Brilliant.

I know this may be controversial for some, but I’m not a big X-Factor fan. Watching the deluded and untalented makes me squirm with embarrassment. But, give me a celebrity in a sparkly outfit learning ballroom dancing – now you’re talking! With inspirational professional dancers, who, let’s face it, are pretty easy on the eye, it all makes for top-telly watching. Then whenever I can tear myself away from redecorating or being a couch potato, there’s the great outdoors!

Of course, this provides a perfect excuse for one of my addictions, my joy-of-joys: Knitwear. Love it. I have far too many jumpers, hats, scarves and gloves, but I can’t resist the stuff. A good jumper is like wearing a big hug from your closest friend. Feeling tired and sleepy on a cold, dark morning? Put on a lovely squadgy jumper or scarf (or both), perhaps a poloneck for really tough days, and you’ll feel tons better, more prepared to face the world.

Taking a break from knitwear shopping and browsing the new Autumn/Winter collections in the shops the other day, I stopped for a coffee and did some people watching. Now compared to a few weeks ago when everybody seemed to looked like tired old bags of laundry, people have now made the odd A/W purchase – new skirts, hair colours and shiny boots paraded past me. Everybody looks new again. So don’t despair about the dark days ahead. Light some candles, watch a movie, or get those woollies on and go out in search of orange cornflake leaves to kick about.
Is it me or is it warm in here…?

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