Monday was the first day in months that the girls spent completely inside. It rained all day, and it was grey and dull until late in the afternoon when the clouds lifted a little and the light was brighter. I looked around and noticed the brightness streaming through the windows in the dining room and lounge and turned the lights off. I thought about this light and how good it felt to have it back, but I knew it wasn't for long. Soon the months of muted light will be with us. The light we had that afternoon when the clouds lifted is the light that we will celebrate at the end of winter, when it finally stops raining. And that is a long way away.
Tuesday was the first day I actually felt cold. I wore a jumper all day. The girls have started talking excitedly about winter, and how much they love the fire. I'm settling in to the shorter days, the girls are easier to put to bed, and the darkness helps me get to bed too, but I know what we are in for. Our first winter in this house last year was dark and cold. We haven't had the roof fixed yet, and there's already a bowl out in the hall for the leak. But it won't be like that forever. We have plenty of plans, plenty of work to be done.
I've been so happy to be sugar-free. I found a recipe for muffins that uses left over porridge and only a smidgen of sweetener. I didn't believe it would work, and when it did, I was ecstatic! I've made them four times now with honey and sultanas. And then I realised that I'd eaten way too many salicylates. And I was hoping Greer would be ok with them but she's not. We've both been eating too many salycilates. I'll try the muffins again another day with Maple Syrup, when I get some of the real stuff, but there won't be any until then.
I thought I was onto a good thing when I decided to start using the breadmaker again too. I got all excited, and made my own gluten free bread as well. I thought baking bread could be just the thing to do when I'm hankering to bake something sweet. But Isobella has declared she "hates" every batch I've made of wheat bread, because I've been making it wholemeal. And the fresh gluten free bread I made last night was so irresistable that I ate way too much of it and felt yuck. I knew what the culprit was; fresh yeast. I thought I'd found myself some new comforts. But there are no comforts here. I can't hide.
But there are two cupboards that are nearly all cleaned out and re-organised. The sleeping bags are all packed away, and I pulled out the girls' winter shoes and they pranced around in their slippers. Their dressing gowns are out too. They'd have worn them non-stop if I'd let them. Are we ready for a new season? Maybe we are.
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How long is your winter there?
ReplyDeleteOurs is very long in Oregon, USA... summer is a short, very short three months at best.
Kara, we really don't have anything to complain about. Here in Auckland it is only really cold from June to August, and even then it's never actually freezing! The hottest months are January and February, and the rest of the time it's pretty mild, albeit wet. The rain can get pretty depressing though.
ReplyDeleteWe have the rain here, too. The summer is really beautiful and the fall is nice.. but the rains come full force by Novemeber and go well into June.
ReplyDeleteI am from the South (Florida and North Carolina), so I am accustomed to lots of heat and sunshine... in Florida (where I spent most of my life) the heat and sunshine are year-round.... though you get a little break in the winter months with some cooler temps.... but nothing cold usually.
So, it's taken me some getting used to this rainy place... but the temps here are mild (though, to me, they are cold). Most people LOVE it here, despite the rain. :)
I have a friend from Christchurch... she's lived in the states now for many years... but listening to her talk makes me want to visit New Zealand!
That sounds like a lot of rain... How cold does it get? We are in the north and it's never colder than 7 or 8 degrees Celsius during the day at the coldest part of the year. Christchurch... we all feel very protective of that broken city of ours. My sister lives down there. Yes it is pretty amazing here. We take it for granted I think. I can't imagine not living by the sea or the bush! I want to do more travelling though... everywhere is fascinating to me :)
ReplyDeleteWinter time here is anywhere between 30-50 degrees F. usually. In summer it is between 70-80.... and will sometimes get hotter.
ReplyDeleteI do miss the ocean!! Of course, there is ocean here in Oregon, but I miss the South Eastern and Gulf coasts where you can comfortably run around in your swim suit all day and sleep on the beach and swim in the water. The shore here in Oregon is frigid. I've never lived far from the sea, and I prefer it that way.... don't like to feel land-locked. :)