“Conversation about the weather is the last refuge of the unimaginative.” Oscar Wilde
I miss seasons! There I said it out loud, I miss the unpredictable weather of my home country. Everyone’s Facebook updates about the clocks going back at home, the change in season, the need for jumpers and coats and fires being lit has made me nostalgic for good ole blighty, especially after my recent visit seems ages ago already.
My garden in winter back in the UK
The changing of the clocks in October, indicating the move into a new season always evokes a longing for home and the lead up to the Christmas season. In reality, I know that a burst of cold weather and icy roads would have me moaning about it in true British fashion, but the change in seasons is something that us Brits are brought up with. Don’t get me wrong, waking up here to daily sunshine is great but predictable, at least you always know what to wear.
Love the British sense of weather humour
I guess we do have two seasons of sorts here, hot and hotter. The year-round Summer sunshine divided up as warm and enjoyable (October – April) and hot, humid and at times quite unbearable (May – September). However, no matter the month our clocks never change and it’s always dark here by 6.30pm/7.00pm every night, no drawn in winter evenings or long summer nights for us. We are now into the pleasant months where outdoor dining is an option, air conditioning is nearly off in the apartment and my sunglasses don’t steam up when I go outside.
Boat days are back on the agenda now it’s cooler
The end of October here also marks the start of comfortable boats days, not the ones where it’s so hot that even the creases of your elbow and knees are seeped in sweat and it’s BBQ season (apologies to anyone reading from the UK who have battened down the hatches from storm St Jude that I saw on Sky news). We enjoyed a bit of both this weekend, boat and BBQ, after a night out at the Punchline Comedy Club on Thursday night, we indulged in a lazy afternoon relaxing on the boat on Friday followed by a great BBQ at some friends, where I indulged in a few cosmopolitans, very nice too!
Now that’s where I should have gone home but no, we ventured off to the Monte-Carlo Beach club where they were celebrating the 150th birthday of the founding company. All very glitzy and glamorous, a few glasses of bubbly were consumed and a 4am bedtime was long overdue. I spent most of Sunday hugging a cup of tea and eating plain biscuits until I could stomach real food, only rallying in time to go the Abu Dhabi Film Festival. Quite an expat weekend after quieter times over the summer and another one this coming week as the F1 circus rolls into town, non-stop partying and concerts and a bit of grand prix racing too, better stock up on those plain biscuits and paracetamol I think!
Monte-Carlo Beach Club, Abu Dhabi
Quote of the weekend was from the teenager “What time did you get in last night?” Me “About 4am” Her “You two are like teenagers and I’m the adult!” Whoops! Epic parent fail, you will be pleased to know normal parenting has resumed, well until next weekend anyway!
All views are my own based on my experience. Unless otherwise stated, all photos on this page © Jo Brett 2013. All rights reserved. Featured image used courtesy of www.pinterest.com
loving the blog – keep them coming please I chuckle happily to myself
kids ok teenagers are never ending source of amusement to those of us without kids, great about who is the parent, tell her not to wait up next weekend as you are having a night on the tiles and wait for the whatever…….
Teenagers are certainly entertaining at times Jacqueline :-)and not so much at other times!