Thunderstorms, Salt Water, Rainbows and Scarves

I’m not sure which is more crazy. Me buying a winter scarf in 30C or that I can buy a scarf in 30C that I won’t wear for at least 4 more months.

The shops are now filled with autumn/winter collections. I saw puffer coats in Zara the other day. It gets me every year in Spain. It can be 30C midday at the end of September. As soon as the summer sales finish, winter arrives. I know the designers and shops already had the designs planned early this early for to be ready. Much like the fashion houses from the 1800’s when it took months to make the next season’s collections. Designs were sent out early, so ladies could choose in advance what they wanted. Kinda like Spring/Summer Fashion Week in the autumn before. Some days I just don’t get it. I don’t want to be looking at winter attire when it’s 28C! In some countries (UK summer?) this works, others it doesn’t. What if you live in the Tropics and don’t have cold seasons? Jeans and T shirt?

I’m gradually getting over my chewing gum feeling. This week’s got busy and next week’s looking the same. If I’m busy I can push the feeling aside.

Dips in the sea help. I swear salt water cures nearly everything! It’s the original poor mans hydro therapy. Muscle aches disappear. I’m gonna miss them when it’s gets too chilly soon to go in (and be wanting that scarf to warm up as my hands loose sensation, turn yellow, fingernails go blue if I do go in! Maybe the fashion houses have got it right!). Wednesday when I got back from work and the gym I could hardly keep my eyes open. I did what I could before leaving again to run errands. But I had to stop off somewhere on the way as I knew it would wake me up!

There’s something about the sea. It draws us, it calms us. It can be our friend or foe. I swear when it’s hot a dip cools down the water inside internally. Thoughts disappear. It’s just me and the sea and 100 others doing the same! In the winter, just sitting watching the waves calms us. Wednesday it was nearly crystal clear, cool (the worst for perfect beach hair afterwards. When it’s warm and salty, perfect beach hair! Cooler and less salty, my hair’s a mess!) and for a moment I forgot about everything. 

Yesterday’s beach time was a little different. The ground wind was a different direction to the cloud wind (I hope that makes sense). Cycling to the beach hot blue skies. I lock my bike, dark rainclouds roll in from nowhere. The wind picked up, the beach emptied. I stayed put thinking it won’t last long. No one was allowed in the water, it started to rain, but nah, I wasn’t leaving. Huddled in my cape sarong the lifeguards walking to shelter asked if I was okay as it’s an ‘electric storm’. Said thank you, I’m ok, thinking, photos!

When it really tipped it down I made my way to the nearest beach bar with others doing the same. 5 minutes later if that, blue skies and a double rainbow! No dip as I didn’t know if I’d warm up after (I needed that scarf!). I was drench anyways and spend the rest of the late afternoon drying off (ok sunbathing!). Even the weather’s breaking the chewing gum feeling!

I’m gonna be cliche and quote Dolly Parton. “The way I see it, if you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain!”. There’s always light after dark, always sunshine chasing away the clouds. Things pass, so shall this chewing gum feeling until next time. Because let’s admit it, rainbows are pretty cool!
And that scarf. Winter beach colours.What’s your favourite quote, metaphor ? Beach during the rain or stay home? One person sheltering was laughing ‘I don’t get it. They swim in the sea, get wet, but when it rains, they leave!’ Or something like that. I said because it’s not pretty, which he laughed and said ‘Because it’s not pretty! Look the sun’s coming out, It’s pretty now!’ Or something like that. It might have got lost in translation!