Sunshine and Showers

The last few days have been a real mixture of sunshine and showers, and I am pleased to be able to say that they have been of the weather variety! Yesterday and today have followed the same pattern- glorious sunshine in the morning, followed by heavy rain at lunch time; a brighter afternoon followed by yet more rain.

This evening, on my way home from work, the sky was blue, and the sun was shining brightly, and yet it was pouring with rain. It really reminded me of Barbados, it is just the same when it rains there.

In my quiet times, I have been reading, cooking, knitting on my socks, and chatting on the phone. Tomorrow I have to wait in for a nice plumber to come adn give me a new flue for our boiler, and then for our groceries to be delivered. I was hoping to enjoy experimenting with some recipes from Cupcake Heaven by Susannah Blake, but sadly our oven has stopped working at the moment. Instead, I am going to knit more on my socks, and perhaps make another little purse for emergency tea bags. Of course, there is a little hoovering to do, and also I plan on reading some of the most scrumptious book that arrived at the library for me this afternoon- the Cabbages and Roses Guide to Natural Housekeeping. It is the kind of book that is so utterly delicious, I can hardly bare to open it! I also want to polish my writing desk some more.

I have also been sitting at my writing desk, making a list of things to do on rainy days. It has been really good fun, and I think I will share some of them here. Top of my list is the right tool for the right job. So important, don't you think? And in this case, it has to be an umbrella that makes you smile every time you use it, a pretty raincoat, and a pair of whimsical wellies. Now I have my flowery raincoat, and my lilac polka dot brolly, but I have no wellies yet. I am keeping my eye out for the perfect pair. I think they will have flowers on them, but I would be happy with spotty dotties too! Who could fail to smile, splashing through the puddles feeling they look a million dollars in their special wet weather gear?!

I am funny in that I don't mind too much getting wet if I am on my way home, but I cannot stand it if I am on my way out. Ugh, squelching around all day feeling soggy! If I do get wet on my way home, the first thing I do upon getting in is to get even wetter! On goes the kettle while I damp my hair a bit more, and then rub some deep conditioner into my locks. I enjoy a hot cup of tea in a pretty tea cup that I keep especially for rainy days, and when I have sipped it all up, I rinse my hair and dry it. Sometimes, if I have got chilled and wet, I will hop into a hot bath for a bit while my hair is still in a towel.

I am sure all of you will know already about Sarah Ban Breathnach's comfort drawer idea, and I think we should all expand on it to have a Rainy Day box, corner, or nook, with some scrumptious treats put aside. Spring rainy days have a character all of their own, and call for some extra special treats. There should be a hair conditioner as I have mentioned, and a pretty mug or cup just for rainy days. Mine has tiny pink flowers on it. Maybe you will find a particular blend of tea to save just for today?

Although rainy days call for coziness and snuggling, I find I don't need as much warmth as in autumn and winter rainy days. So although I want a blanket to snuggle under, it needs to be soft rather than heavy and thick. To go with my blanket, I have a pile of books just waiting to be read; anything from Persephone books is perfect, but especially The Making of a Marchioness or The Wartime Diaries of Mollie Painter-Downes.

When you have had your fill of snuggling on the sofa reading scrumptious books, it is time for a little more action. A rainy afternoon is just the right time to turn out a cupboard or drawer. I find it scrumptiously satisfying to throw out any laddered tights, look over my underwear, and put it all back neatly into a freshly lined drawer, or to pull out my dry goods cupboard, and catalogue it all in my little household booklet before putting it away nicely. Perhaps I might find time to snip out of paper, or a length of ribbon to be a pretty shelf edging.

Of course, these days just cry out for a good black and white film to be watched, or maybe a Jane Austen adaptation. I have also adored I Capture The Castle and Mrs Miniver not forgetting of course The Enchanted April.

I like to have a little craft project to work on as well, something that makes you glad to be indoors, listening to the tip-tap, pitter-patter of raindrops on your windowpane. Crochet is very easy to pick up and put down again, or perhaps a little embroidery, or anything else like this that captures your fancy.

I love it when a rainy day has been passed in so much enjoyment, that I cannot wait for it to rain again!