To absolutely hate winter?

[millefeuille1]

I don't mind the run up to Christmas as the lights and anticipation make it bearable, but January and February?? No! I have no energy and no mojo to make it better. I try so hard to make resolutions - read lots, go to the gym, declutter, plan new menus etc. but it never happens. All I want to do is hibernate.
I do love seeing snow fall (and then hate all the stress of driving in it), but mostly it is damp, dark, grey and cold.
It can't be right to hate a good chunk of the year? What is good about it?

[lorelei9]

glasto, yes I'm sure I'll keep it in mind.

I have to go out tonight FFS. And I know this is partly a London thing but the thought of trekking from where I live - I worked at home today - to central to meet people in this filthy weather just makes me want to go straight back to bed. I am sure I would be more sociable in a sunnier climate!!

[MangosteenSoda]

YY to overseas homes without heating. If it's cold(ish) for 2-3 months of the year, you still need to keep warm during that time.

In our current house, there's reverse aircon in the bedrooms, but the sitting room and kitchen stay cold and getting out of the shower is just brrr...

The place I've lived with the best climate is Johannesburg. Gorgeous winters with endless blue skies. Had to go outside to warm up though

[Dowser]

Another reason I hate winter. Everything is so much more of a chore when it's cold, dark and miserable.

For eg...on our way home from an event the car died on me. I didn't have a choice over where we it was going to choose its final resting place. Just after a bust set of lights seemed a lot better option than the middle of the road where I was heading to turn into the BP garage opposite.

Dh gallantly rang the AA . I'd inconveniently left mine at home on the bed!!!!

So, they were going to be an hour. We had two ankle biters in the back and one of them had been fed up and wanted to be home three hours ago. It wasn't going well.

I called their dad and to come and get us. We were about 17 miles from home but it may as well have been 70. The car was cooling down. Dark was setting in.road traffic which had seemed fairly light in the daylight in the dark felt like we were on a motorway.

Everything just seems magnified in the winter.

A warm daytime would not have been a problem. Kids could have let off steam in the park we were beside. Heck they could have had an ice cream from the garage . Thank god it wasn't snowing. Dh got home one hour and a half after me.

It took the mechanic ages to unhook the car and stow his car towing equipment...again all hampered by the cold and dark.

Thank god it wasn't snowing!!! I'm having a g and t now. I'd have needed a bottle under those conditions!

[Dowser]

It looks like I've already had a few. It was a busy set of lights!

[lorelei9]

oh Dowser, what a mare, I feel for you.

I rely heavily on the weather forecast at this time of year; being in London, I walk to the majority of my errands and use public transport for other stuff. I got a bunch of things done this morning just before the rain started - going to be like this all week. I don't bother leaving the office at lunchtime when it's bucketing down - well obviously, I mean, where would I go?! - so had to get it all done today. It makes simple things such hard work, and it was much colder today than was reported for London.

I've also learned to be wary of booking stuff - sometimes it's so horrible to drag yourself out, I find I end up feeling worse so I'm then short with the people I'm with and I feel bad. I do go out (obviously!) but try to keep it to twice a week max till the end of Jan rolls round which is usually when I start to feel better, oddly enough.

[lorelei9]

PS sorry for the whinge but it is very therapeutic indeed

It's good to do whatever possible to make it go faster.

[Dowser]

Thank you Lorelei. I feel your pain too!

The outside event we went to watch was almost ruined by the rotten weather. If it wasn't for the stoicism of the British public nothing would ever happen from mid October to mid April!

Ie 6 months!

Now isn't that just a horrible thought.

[SirChenjin]

Our winter weekend went like this. Drove to a charity Christmas fair thing my daughter was involved in - in the rain. Passed some poor wee souls and their parents at football training in the driving wind and rain. Ran inside to the fair, spent our pennies, ran back to the car. DS2 had friends round this afternoon - 5 8yr old boys cooped up for 3 hours while the rain battered against the window (apart from one time when we ventured to the sweetie shop). It got dark around 4pm, and the rain is still thumping down.

Yeah, winter is bloody wonderful.

[Glastokitty]

I'm reading this in my hammock having just had a morning swim and thanking my lucky fucking stars for my Aussie visa! I really genuinely feel for you all and wish I could send you all a sunny day.

[LastAnni]

Yes, we spent the afternoon flying kites under the Golden Gate bridge - in winter! Glorious blue skies, sunshine, locally grown organic food everywhere - you just can't conceptualise what a difference light and warmth make to quality of life. I remember the days of trudging the pram up the high street, worrying the baby's hands were turning blue, kicking sodden rubbish out from under the wheels, wondering when/if the rain would ever stop. Now, as we leave the house for the day, my wonderings are whether I need a light jacket, or if a cardigan in the bag will do. I don't even know if we own an umbrella anymore.
There are many things I loved about living in Britain. I'll miss the promise of summer you feel in May, and I'll miss the (occasional!) twilit endless summer afternoon. These can't make up for the ease of living in year-round warmth and light, nor the health benefits. Those of you considering having an expat adventure: do it :)

[lorelei9]

Last, you live in San Fran? that was on my list but I heard a lot about fog etc and when I've visited it has been much less sunny than other places in summer, but when I went in Feb it was fab!

[OfficeGirl1969]

Ugh I loathe the winter. Get up in the dark, come home in the dark and sat in the office all hours in between, so no daylight. It makes me feel hideous. Mucking out in the dark/rain/cold/mud/wind, and filthy cat footprints on everything. I second migrating like birds for a few months!!

[LastAnni]

lorelei9 somewhere very close but a LOT sunnier and less foggy. Although there hasn't really been that much fog this year in the city, anyway.

[lorelei9]

Last - sounds good!

[bertsdinner]

In theory I like it, crisp days and cosy fires, etc.
In reality, where I am anyway, its just endless storms. Cold, heavy rain, roaring gales. I'm stuck inside and its been raining heavily for what seems like forever. I loathe it.

[MotherofFlagons]

Sigh. I've basically come home and got into bed again. I was going to go to the gym today but just felt exhausted with no energy. I hate this, it's making me really miserable. Sorry to be on such a downer, it's just that the thought of another three months of this is so depressing. It seems much worse this year and I don't know how to snap myself out of it.

[SirChenjin]

I'm with you Mother. I go to work in the dark and I come home in the dark - I literally did not venture out in the daylight today (workshop and a networking lunch of less than 30 mins). The 7.30am train was delayed this morning and then when it did arrive the heating was broken, and the pavements home from the station were icy and slippery. I'm frozen through (still), tired and fed up - and it's been raining for the millionth day in a row

[lorelei9]

Mother & Sir Chenjin - it's good to moan.

Mother - I try to do the gym in the morning by putting banging dance tunes on to cheer myself up. (actually I can't do any kind of winter morning without dance choons). I know I won't go if I say I will go after work but I appreciate this depends on how early you start - I do a kind of compressed day and/or finish a bit later.

[OfficeGirl1969]

Mother, I'm totally feeling your pain. I love love LOVE going to the gym, it makes me feel brilliant and gives me such a buzz, but right now when I get back from work I could happily crawl into my jammies and curl up in bed and not leave the house again, it's horrid and I hate getting like this!

I went to the gym tonight and feel a million times better now, but it was such a battle to make myself go. Bloody winter!!

[MotherofFlagons]

I don't have time in the mornings unfortunately. I am in the office at 7-7.30 and I live an hour's commute away. You're absolutely right and I know I'd feel better if I did gym. It feels a bit as though I'm in constant darkness like SirChenjin said.

That said, I don't want to mope so effort tomorrow night. Get home, slip gym stuff on and out the door before I think about it too much.

[lorelei9]

Mother, that means you have to be up at like...5? Gosh, I would no way work out in the morning either!!

[HelenaDove]

Im going to have to get some Vitamin D tablets i think. Ive been feeling really down and out of sorts since the clocks went back. Im not normally like this until January so cant work out why it seems to have come early for me this time.

[Dowser]

We didn't have a very good summer Helena . Maybe that was why

My doctor belies everyone north of 40 degrees lat should supplement vitd3 anyway.
I like the Viridian oil based drops
I take it every day apart from when I'm on a sunshine holiday.

I do take a lot of supplements though particularly leading up to winter.

[G1veMeStrength]

I bought vitamin D tablets yesterday instead of a chocolate advent calendar!!

Apparently you should take a dose of at least 700.

[CheerfulYank]

Love winter. Woke up to this this morning and was delighted. :) If it lasts til April again I'll be put out, though.

I don't like summer...so hot and sticky.