Oh I do like….

This morning if finally felt like winter. The aversion to leaving the warm and comfy bed. The cat howling at me because she was cold, (well known fact, I am to blame for the weather). The dogs desperate to use the little doggies room, (back yard), but refusing to leave the house. (Cold wet paw issues)

I have my mum staying with us and last night had me searching for spare blankets etc, while the rest of the family where safely hibernating under various piles of bedding. The reason she has graced us is due to the fact that another member of the extended family is having a birthday dinner. Naturally being no real relation what so ever, we have been instructed to turn up never the less.

So winter has finally, sort of turned up. Now before everyone proceeds to the wailing and whining of just how cold their particular burb is, and just how lucky I am to be blessed, living in the climate that is my lot, let’s remember one thing people. It’s all relative. We are all at least to some degree acclimatised to the place we live in, and no matter what part of the planet you are on, a drop ten degrees or more is going to have you reaching for the tracky daks and favourite pull over.

It still takes me back to my first winter in Oz, a freshly minted new Australian, still with the pommy accent and deathly pale skin, we did not notice the first winter. One sunny day we all decided that seeing it was such a lovely day, we would proceed directly to the local swimming pool. After donning various swimming garments, blowing up of various cute floating devices, we piled into the Holden and took of for that metropolis of beach side fun, Sandgate. We were yet to venture to the often heard about but repeatedly ignored my us places such as the Gold and Sunshine Coasts.

Our excitement new no bounds as we drove into the car park, obviously we were early as we had the pick of the car park, another cheering moment for the father, who was still getting over the blowing up of about six rather large pool related devices. Then the truth hit us.

I think it was dad that pointed the problem out. We all sat there, in shock, confusion, disbelief and not a small amount of annoyance.

Not only was the place closed, but the pool itself completely empty, except for a few stray leaves. The place closed up like an abandoned amusement park. But it was a lovely day! We all moaned. What was wrong with this place that they take perfectly useable pools and just shut them down? Was this country mad?

Believe it or not there are actually a couple of small areas where one can dangle a toe in the sea, and sit on a small portion of sand close by. Well there used to be, sadly it has been many a season since I visited Sandgate and there is no telling what is going on there these days.

We sat on the beach in between splashing about in the non-wave motion of the sea. In blissful ignorance of the general public who took turns at staring at us like we were all from the local fruit farm.

Acclimatisation, we hadn’t done it yet, and to us it was a nice warm day. Naturally we were all hiding under various piles of blankets and about ten layers of clothes the following year. Just like everyone else, fighting over the front row seat for the one heater we owned. But even then we still had the type of sense of humour that had us all laughing our heads off at the idiot poms who went swimming in the middle of last winter.