Sick of wasting my life because of the rain

[GoodnightAdeline]

I don’t care how many people say ‘it was always like this..’ yes it rained a lot when I was a kid but now it does nothing BUT rain.

I swear to God out of the last 30 days we have had 1 or maybe 2 where it wasn’t fucking raining. And they’re always midweek.

I feel like all we do is sit inside going stir crazy waiting for the rain to stop. I have 2 small children and while they’re desperate to go to the park/beach, even they’re not keen in a torrential downpour with everything covered in mud.

I’m sick of all my plans being cancelled, staring out of the window at depressing grey skies and trying to figure out how to pass the weekend without spending a ton of cash on expensive (and brief) indoor activities.

It’s driving me fucking crazy and not an exaggeration to say it’s sending me into some kind of low level depression. 🍷

Absolutely it is, but this doesn’t seem to be the case for the OP. Small children don’t care about the rain unless you condition them to. They tend to love mud and puddles. But if you keep insisting the rain is bad they take on this thinking. If you just get on with it they don’t care at all.

Perhaps I should be clearer. My post is directed at those who are perfectly safe/able to get outside on days where the weather's not great, but choose not to and would rather choose to stay in and sit on their arse all day instead. And then wonder why they're feeling miserable. The mental and physical benefits of being outside, even on a rainy day, far outweigh being shut in all day.

I have a friend I sometimes walk with, but these days I rarely ask her for a walk. Because usually it's either too cold, too windy, it's raining a little bit OR the forecast is showing it might rain at some point even if it isn't currently. She's the sort that would rather just stay inside all day on the sofa under blankets, whereas I couldn't think of anything worse than that. Sometimes I just feel like rolling my eyes and telling her to get a bloody grip!

As for our weather, personally I wouldn't want to swap it. We rarely get extremes of weather, heatwaves usually last a week or two at the max, winters are never that extreme, we don't get monsoons. We don't get hurricanes. We don't even have to worry about other natural disasters like earthquakes or tsunamis either. Our weather might be boring, but at least it's rarely life-threatening for the vast majority of us. Sometimes you need to count your blessings rather than complain about what we have (and is something we have no control over), because it could be a lot worse!!

Eh?

I'm on the other side of this because I generally dislike sunny weather. In the summer it's often too hot and the bright sunlight hurts my eyes and I have to wear sunblock and a hat all the time. And it's difficult finding cool summer clothes that still cover you up enough. Plus there are insects everywhere. I still go outside every day and do things, though, because that's just life. It just seems a bit ridiculous to let the fairly moderate UK weather get in the way of things to the extent the OP describes. And at least rain haters have plenty of company. Everybody assumes I must be enjoying the "good" weather when it's hot and sunny.

@ILostMy20s I go out for a walk nearly every day. I still find the amount of rain we have had bloody awful. And what I really hate is the mud, mud and more mud. There are nice local walks I can no longer go because it is a mud pit.

I agree op.
i have a toddler and live in a flat so need to get out regularly. I don’t have loads of money.
im never happier than when I take him out on his bike and the ice cream man comes round, or take him to our local splash park, or the beach.
Personally can’t wait for some sun.

and I would suggest that possibly one third of these ‘love rain, jigsaw, parks, cafe, picture house, horrendously expensive gear’ etc etc etc are prime East Dulwich, rarified, entitled, expensively clad, financially buoyant, mediterranean getawayed, cleaner on a Monday, rain runs right off my back, due to my ludicrously expensive Australian specialised wet weather geared, impervious to financial restraints or limitations, OH in the city via bike train, vehicle right outside the front door, child minder takes children to school and returns, dreading the imminent holidays, three
children to entertain, in the incessant, cold, hail, sunless, rainy weather, whilst making sanctimonious preposterous unlikely posts on here as though, somehow, they are blissfully immune.
this is the wettest autumn/winter/spring I have ever known, flooded fields and homes, dire, awful, do not be telling me to don wellies and enjoy, no, not possible/feasible/gonna happen

I'm not one to crap on about privilege normally but it's a big factor when it comes to managing difficult weather.

When I had small children I also had a dog. Therefore we went out everyday for 1.5 hours regardless of weather.
Good waterproofs are essential, if you can't afford them a regular coat with a cheap old school waterproof over the top. Wellies and fluffy socks.

Everyone benefits for fresh air and exercise and the joy of coming home to change into warm fleecy clothes and a hot choc. Get snuggled under a duvet whilst watching TV, this guarantees and hour of blissful peace for everyone.

I bumped into a dad and daughter last week, they had been building a den in the woods ❤️ they had build a fire and picnicked, toasting marshmallows. The girl was filthy 😂 Great dad, it made my day.

Goodness. Who knew that a simple poem, meant as a take-it-or-leave-it antidote to the rain blues, could engender such hostility and bitterness.

Did it ever occur to you that I too might have young kids, a small hallway and mud? I try to deal with it by getting out there and ‘enjoying’ the rain rather than seeing it as my enemy. Staying indoors and wishing it away sure as hell doesn’t help.

To suggest I’m forcing a poem on you is kind of weird. I do hope you haven’t been too upset, though. Hopefully, in the fullness of time, the horror of Langston’s rain metaphor will leave your mind…

PS: By the way, Langston lived in England for some time so he might have resented your assumption that he was just a dust-bowl poet with no knowledge of the big wide world.

I’m not this at all. We barely makes ends meet and I don’t live anywhere fancy. I only have nice waterproof trousers because I won them!

But that doesn’t change the fact that I don’t believe in sitting at home and complaining? Kids have got to get out sure and so do I. Without it I feel really down. So I go out in the rain and get on with it and embrace my kids jumping in puddles and getting caked in mud. For me it’s about light, fresh air and exercise for me and my children. Even if it does mean hanging the stuff up in the bathroom with the window open after to try and get it all dry before tomorrow. And mopping the floor (or just leaving it with muddy footprints!) - no porch or drive way for me.

You don’t have to be middle class to have this attitude? Why is MN always about bloody class?

@GoodnightAdeline it's strange people are gaslighting you on this thread with the whole 'its the UK it's always like this". Not true. This is the wettest 18 months since records began. Of course you're going to be sick of the rain by now! It's not just winter but all of autumn was a washout and we're now in spring and it's still miserable. I know I am sick of it!

I have a dog so have to go out daily and some days I can time it so I go in a dry window but that's not often, other days it rains all day or for so much of the day you're lucky to avoid it. And even when it's dry it's usually still cloudy. Sunshine is a real event at the moment! It's very hard to get the amount of vitamin D needed here even in a typical winter when there are bright crisp days that are cold but still pleasant to walk in when wrapped up. The constant cloud and rain are making it harder, that will impact you physically and link to how depressed it all makes you feel. You're not alone. Get a SAD lamp, get the kids to paint some rainbows and sunshine on those clear plastic window sheets so you can at least pretend for a bit and at least that's one rainy hour they're kept busy for!

https://www.ft.com/content/f976b2fb-9a23-4a64-91bb-cb250f35853f

I grew up just north of Manchester (and still go back there to see my parents) and now live in London, so I know it could definitely be worse, but the weather down here is still a bit crap atm. We had a rubbish spring and summer here last year too - I remember going to see friends on the last day of May and one of them had to go home and get a winter coat for me to borrow so I could sit outside. June was okay for a bit but that was it!

Another poster wrote that SE London was 'fair' today - I'm here too and it's not, it's grey clouds as usual. The brightness index on my weather app says 'dark'. Yesterday was sunny but there was a freezing biting wind so it was zipped up winter coats and hats all round. We don't have a car and go loads of places by active travel, so I'm not exactly scared of the outdoors.

People on these threads always suggest it would be worse to live in a place with no seasons at all, but I've lived in a place with no autumn/winter in the temperate sense (North Africa) and I found it blissful -it was one of the things I was sad to leave behind.

In summary, sun is better than rain and this thread has been crazy - I don't know what people get out of being so contrary. The poll results don't lie though ;)

Unfortunately that’s the UK weather, especially at this time of year. You can be comfortable outside with appropriate clothing though (full waterproofs), everyone with a dog has to go out at least twice a day in all weathers and it can be more enjoyable when you’re warm and dry under your clothing. We are meant to take vit D supplements in the winter but that’s because of cloud cover, not because you’re expected to stay in. It’s unhealthy (mentally and physically) to stay indoors all the time.

What really annoys me though is South East Water.

Last year we had one of the wettest Marches on record, a normal April then a pleasantly sunny May and June. After about four weeks of normal summer weather they announced a hosepipe ban. Absolute wankers. Every year they seem to be surprised when summer happens.

It isn't normal UK weather, though. Yes it rains a lot, but as has been pointed out numerous times, it has been unusually wet for months now.

Oh same here for South West Water. They’ve already said this year we’ll be in a hosepipe ban (don’t think our last one was ever lifted) despite this year of rain. And they’re blaming us for not caring about water! Its unreal.

Building a den in the mid sounds great fun - sarcasm.

Maybe you simply do not understand that some places in Britain are getting way more rain than other places.

this nonsense response is 100% predictable and you sound like his literary agent

Who asked for 'help'?

No one wanted to 'adjust' anything and no one has too.

There is so much ignorance from able bodied, financially secure people in milder area given unasked for and condescending advice based on their limited experience and local options on this thread.

Id rather be grumpy while warmish and dry than grumpy, cold, wet and in pain ffs no mind trickery or fancy footwear (many of which I can't wear btw) will fix that.

plus you have made reference to suggestions which I neither declared nor intimated

I’ve already said I’m not financially secure. I’m not at all. And I’m in one of the wettest counties. Yet I still go out in the rain because I have small children. And I already said that of course this is different for those that don’t have the physical ability to go out in the rain. I have a lung condition which limits my walking abilities but I have small children so out we go.

Ironic that you’re having a go at me about judging all whilst judging yourself.

And the OP came on to ask if she was being reasonable. People have responded that they think she is or isn’t. Thats expected on this board.

You'd be best moving to a warmer climate then.

This is the UK.

Like lots of others - I walk outside every day with the dog. And have a selection of raincoats....Nobody said you have to like it. It is a bonus when it's a dry day - agree with you there.

YANBU at all! Because of the dreariness of it all, I feel like I’m wasting 4/5 months out of the year existing rather than enjoying.

Actually I'm in Yorkshire, we have more than our share of rain. It's sodden. I also get more than my share of wind, on the moors.

It is fun for children..I appreciate not everyone likes stuff like that, but most children love outdoor adventures.