I hated this summer -- OK?
Roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer.
Those days of sodas, and pretzels and beer …
- Nat ‘King’ Cole
This has been the summer or our discontent. I take a few moments on this last day of August to say that I feel burned, resentful, shafted and gored. Unlike John Denver, I haven’t felt much sunshine on my shoulders this summer. Of course, neither does he any more, but that’s a whole other matter. Summer to me is supposed to be July and August. Our July and August stank royally. It matters not if the next two months are balmy and bright, we lost July and August. I imagine my Antipodean contacts feel the same about January and February, so substitute as you see fit.
I should have known when we got off that plane in Vancouver on November 29th last year after a blissful and warm six weeks in France and England, but arrived in a minus temperature blizzard in what is supposed to be the warm and wet west coast, that it was a portent for what lay in store for the ensuing year. Despite being in Canada, Vancouver is not cold but generally has a climate very similar to San Francisco’s. That night, the climate was more like Murmansk in January.
It was cold then. It was bloody damn cold. And that has largely continued. Not cold-cold, but never warm. We waited for spring to come – and it didn’t. We awaited the arrival of summer, but it never really happened. “When is it going to be summer?” Wendy would ask, in that plaintive voice normally reserved for impatient children awaiting the arrival of Christmas. “Never you mind,” I would say reassuringly, “After the second week of July it will be hot and sunny and carry on right through to Labor Day." She was sceptical. But, she spent 18 years in the frigid hinterland of Alberta and (even though she has been on the coast for 15 years) is still a bit unclear on our weather patterns. I'm also unclear, but I tend to lie about it. The point being, I've lived on the West Coast all my life, and I still hate the damp weather. Live here, but heart is in Hawaii.
Well, July came and went, and it didn’t warm up. August came, and has now gone, and today is overcast and dreary. Just like yesterday, and likely tomorrow. Not only has it been dull, it has been persistently chilly. My normally bountiful grapevine boasts a sparse little crop of pellets the size of a rabbit dropping. My tomatoes – well, the less said about my tomatoes the better. While I normally have to almost go through the plants with a machete to gain access to the fruit, I have some weedy little plants that don’t look much bigger than they did when I planted the sets.
I do realize that I am partially responsible for this. My car has a T-roof, and the second there is a hint of sunshine, I take it off. In years past I have had it off for weeks at a time. This year, guaranteed, if I take it off, by afternoon it will be back on again.
I suppose I should feel philosophical about it; I suppose I should remember we’ve had other crappy summers and I’ve survived. But, I’m a sunshine kind of guy. Winters here are long and dreary and look like the photos that my friend Voyager ran on her blog the other day. I was impressed, by the way, that they decided to take their camping trip regardless of the weather. I’m not so courageous.
And, considering the floods in the UK this summer, and the fires in Greece, I know I should be ashamed for bitching. OK. I'm ashamed. But not 'that' ashamed. We all only get so many summers in this life, therefore it seems fair that all summers should be good ones.
Shouldn't they?
Those days of sodas, and pretzels and beer …
- Nat ‘King’ Cole
This has been the summer or our discontent. I take a few moments on this last day of August to say that I feel burned, resentful, shafted and gored. Unlike John Denver, I haven’t felt much sunshine on my shoulders this summer. Of course, neither does he any more, but that’s a whole other matter. Summer to me is supposed to be July and August. Our July and August stank royally. It matters not if the next two months are balmy and bright, we lost July and August. I imagine my Antipodean contacts feel the same about January and February, so substitute as you see fit.
I should have known when we got off that plane in Vancouver on November 29th last year after a blissful and warm six weeks in France and England, but arrived in a minus temperature blizzard in what is supposed to be the warm and wet west coast, that it was a portent for what lay in store for the ensuing year. Despite being in Canada, Vancouver is not cold but generally has a climate very similar to San Francisco’s. That night, the climate was more like Murmansk in January.
It was cold then. It was bloody damn cold. And that has largely continued. Not cold-cold, but never warm. We waited for spring to come – and it didn’t. We awaited the arrival of summer, but it never really happened. “When is it going to be summer?” Wendy would ask, in that plaintive voice normally reserved for impatient children awaiting the arrival of Christmas. “Never you mind,” I would say reassuringly, “After the second week of July it will be hot and sunny and carry on right through to Labor Day." She was sceptical. But, she spent 18 years in the frigid hinterland of Alberta and (even though she has been on the coast for 15 years) is still a bit unclear on our weather patterns. I'm also unclear, but I tend to lie about it. The point being, I've lived on the West Coast all my life, and I still hate the damp weather. Live here, but heart is in Hawaii.
Well, July came and went, and it didn’t warm up. August came, and has now gone, and today is overcast and dreary. Just like yesterday, and likely tomorrow. Not only has it been dull, it has been persistently chilly. My normally bountiful grapevine boasts a sparse little crop of pellets the size of a rabbit dropping. My tomatoes – well, the less said about my tomatoes the better. While I normally have to almost go through the plants with a machete to gain access to the fruit, I have some weedy little plants that don’t look much bigger than they did when I planted the sets.
I do realize that I am partially responsible for this. My car has a T-roof, and the second there is a hint of sunshine, I take it off. In years past I have had it off for weeks at a time. This year, guaranteed, if I take it off, by afternoon it will be back on again.
I suppose I should feel philosophical about it; I suppose I should remember we’ve had other crappy summers and I’ve survived. But, I’m a sunshine kind of guy. Winters here are long and dreary and look like the photos that my friend Voyager ran on her blog the other day. I was impressed, by the way, that they decided to take their camping trip regardless of the weather. I’m not so courageous.
And, considering the floods in the UK this summer, and the fires in Greece, I know I should be ashamed for bitching. OK. I'm ashamed. But not 'that' ashamed. We all only get so many summers in this life, therefore it seems fair that all summers should be good ones.
Shouldn't they?
Labels: grey day after grey day and every day the same, inclemency
15 Comments:
I thought we were experiencing global warming until this past year myself. As for the summer, which I normally revel in, you have no idea how happy I am that it's almost over. As you know, mine was a stinker, too, and from so much more than a weather perspective. Today I'm painting, I'm healthy and I'm optimistic. Have you any idea how long it's been since that happened all at once? :) Yay for fall. ANd thanks for reflecting my own state of mind once again, Ian.
So very happy to read that you are back at your art, Andrea. By telling me that, you have brightened my day.
i agree that all summers should be good ones. we had our good ones here on the east coast. as a matter of fact, it was so good with the sunshine and high humidity many days, the rain forgot to fall, and we had the worst drought here in about 5 yrs. of course, the farmers weren't too pleased about that. summer is my favorite time of the year, but i must admit i'm looking forward to the change that falls brings on--especially the breeze. sorry about your summer. maybe, just maybe, you may get a bit of summer when fall comes in.
It's going to be okay. I drove thirty miles today in order to do my bit for global warming. I also saw some folks out in Hummers; one was even towing a boat. You should see the temperatures perk up in your neck of the woods in no time at all!
Yes, yes I think they should. I loved that you said your heart was in Hawaii. Maybe you can go soon?
I started realizing when a fellow I went to high school with started posting pictures of home on his site that I really, really needed to go home (wet and cold though it was).
Maybe you need some sun! I need sun. I'd shrivel and die without sun. (God's honest truth.) I hope oodles of sun is speeding its way toward you if you're not able to make it there.
And I hear you on the feeling ashamed part, too. I do that on a regular basis but have learned that if I'm dishonoring my soul that way that I only end up unhappier. Better to just go and find me some of whatever it is I am wanting. Happy weekend, Ian!
We are having Spring in Winter.. Well I suppose today is the first official day of spring.
It is a shame when you dont get the seasons you wanted. I also feel cheated by weather at times. And as you say, you can never get it back, no matter how many good ones you may get later.
The labour day weekend is going to be cold and rainy I hear. But I am escaping in a few hours to Nova Scotia. If I can pick up some sunshine for you I will.
V.
Give it just over two weeks, Ian, and I'll arrive with my hot as bleeeeeep weather. I promise.
It is colder this year Ian...in all the seasons. The wet part I can understand because we are a rain forest area but when the sun does shine it never seems to be a hot sun.
Some of my perennials have root rot from so much rain and not enough sun to dry out between. The weather definitely is changing.
voyager, here in nova scotia it rained like stink yesterday, up to 42 cm [nearly 6 inches] in places
overcast today, with possible sunny breaks, more sun tomorrow... maybe
hated the spring/summer here, as well
i'm fall-born, so hope it will be drier/sunnier
I watched an article on the Vancouver news last night that claimed that--statistically---this summer was about average for hours of sunshine/mm of rain, a little damper than usual but nothing to cry over. My jaw dropped.
They are boldly asking me to ignore the evidence of all my (rained-upon) senses.
So much for relying on the weatherman.
ermmm... make that MILLIMETRES [damn metric ;) lol ]...but more like 75 of em... what happens when one relies on
reports w/o at least a cursory double check hahahahaha
I came back from New York in at the end of November last year and before we landed the pilot said Vancouver has an inch of snow on the ground. What, it's only November.
As you say, never recovered since then. Summer with a day of sunshine here or there then back to waiting for its reappearance.
I am hoping for a long nice fall so that when Lady Mac arrives in the middle of October she will still be impressed by Vancouver.
I'm still in the heat of New York arriving back in Vancouver on the Monday holiday.
regards
jmb
Ironic - while you were getting chilly damp summer weather, we were living through sweltering, steamy heat. Not pleasant, either.
I'm with you on this Ian. I live for summer since Quebec weather royally sucks from November to the end of April. I feel cheated most of the year and when summer is bad, I feel it even more so.
Lucky for us, summer wasn't bad this year, so I'm thrilled. I feel bad for you... but not that bad. Sorry.
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