The rain is drip, drip, dripping outside my window this afternoon. The air is perfumed with the freesias in the bouquet I carried at my sister's wedding on Monday, and the rain. It is cool but not yet chilly, and it is a good afternoon to be at home with a pot of tea.
Perhaps it is because we have not had a proper summer; perhaps it is the come-down after my dear sister's much anticipated wedding; perhaps it is just that I have not had a holiday in 2 years, or a week off work since I started my new job.
Whatever it is, I am feeling under the weather and slightly out of sorts.
You see, everything inside me is whispering urgently 'autumn, autumn, autumn!' Everything outside is whispering 'autumn, autumn, autumn' and the two combined are very loud indeed, and yet...it is August! Summer!
It is not that I am wishing time away, but I just feel ready for September and the new-term back-to-school feeling which accompanies it. At the same time, I feel slightly guilty, like I should be wringing every last drop from summer. But it is hard to be properly summery when every day brings showers!
I discovered that the French have a wonderful word for this time, the pre-autumn but back-to-school time, which is La Rentree. Quite literally, The Return. It fills me with excitement, and I think it is just the thing to cure my summer blues. I believe I have mentioned a lovely novel, Remedy by Anne Marsella before. In this, the main character develops a kind of 'uniform' to wear to work, and I feel like doing the same thing, almost as going to buy new school uniform. I find myself wanting to buy pencils and notebooks, and my eyes are drawn to the rich purple nail polishes in the shops.
I find myself thinking of 'school rules' for myself, and feeling betwixt and between as I don't want to give myself too much to live up to, but want some little challenges too. So far I have settled on eating an apple a day, as that feels suitably back-t0-school-ish and also autumn-ish for me, and of course has the benefits of being fabulous for the skin! I also want to walk to work more than I have been, although that will be much easier when it is not raining so much!
I will be thinking of other little things too, and will share them with you, as well as letting you know how I am getting on with the others!
So do put a pot of tea on, and drink with me to the coming cosiness of autumn, and a fresh new school year for us all, no matter how long ago it was that we last went to school! What would you like to learn this year?
1 comment:
I was so happy to see you had new postings...and as always they are a delight to me...I am also feeling caught between the seasons. I totally love the French idea of The Return!! What a perfect concept, one I will use, in fact have used without knowledge of it.
I was in the mood to make some bookmarks and had no desire for flowers and summer things...but it's not fall yet either, and I didn't want to rush it, for that often ruins it....so I thought and thought and went with trees and squirrels--for they gather this time of year, are busy collecting their hoard of nuts... and mushrooms and owls--which I am quite smitten with, though hated in the 70's when they were so very popular locally...and I included some ABC's and numbers as well, since it is back to school here in the U.S.
Now that I know about La Rentree I will claim it as my own...and will no longer need to hasten fall, but will have a lovely new season to enjoy.
Sorry for the long comment, but your writing does spark my spirit....your umbrella, i.e. brolly sounds perfect (I love fun things that are functional )...and thanks for sharing some links. Some of my favorites I have stumbled upon...that is how I discovered your blog, which I consider a treasure. If you ever quit posting totally you will be missed immensely by me, and many others I am sure.
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