I *can* stand the rain

August 25, 2015 by Ray Morgan

I *can* stand the rain

Sometimes, great weather can be overrated. Yeah, it's lovely when the sun is out, and there are blue skies, and suncream smells drift off people as they pass you in the street, but there's a whole other side to hot weather that I can't stand. You can't walk anywhere without breaking out in a sweat. Everywhere is crowded. People flock to the seafront like lemmings and queues for a crisp cold pint can be eight people deep at the bar.

This week, it howled with rain. I woke up and it was still dark, and I got a little thrill because it reminded me of autumn. I had a day off, so I could be lazy about getting up. I made cheese on toast and a cup of tea and went back to bed and watched an episode of Frasier with my bedside light on. I actually got to wear a cable knit jumper while I walked out in drizzle. It felt good.

My partner and I decided to walk down to Old Leigh because - despite it being the school holidays, it was terrible weather so we were the only people down there at 11.30am apart from a group of sweet elderly folk in bright rain macs. We went into Osbornes and ordered cockles and prawns and cups of tea. Then the real rain started. It hammered on the shed-like roof of the cockle shop and everyone tutted. I got that thrill again. Something about that weather; dark, dank, cold, wet - it makes me feel alive. I must have been Scandinavian in a former life (takk).

After our pit stop, we trudged through puddles and watched the estuary. I love it there when the weather is bad, because when the tide's out, the rich mossy greens and deep burgundy browns come to life and sometimes it feels like you're looking at a moody oil painting.

We played pool and went to the cinema - good rainy day pursuits - and then finished off the day back in Old Leigh again, where it was even darker and rainier. We got the bay window seat in the Crooked Billet and watched the deep dark grey tide swishing about, frothing cockle boats and bobbing the sitting gulls. We shared a pint and I wondered what kind of day we would have had if it had been busy, hot, crowded. It certainly would have been a different one. This way, the peace and quiet of a rainy day meant we got to wander aimlessly - albeit under brollies - and chat and enjoy the view. A wet pair of Converse and slightly cardboard-y jeans were absolutely worth it. Sometimes the rain gets a bad rap but if you just go with it, you might enjoy it...

My top 5 rainy day pursuits
1. Daytime cinema! No one is there. Pick of the seats.
2. Doing a jigsaw. Yes, I am 85. My current puzzle is of Corrie. I am so cool.
3. Making a cake. You can then eat it warm from the oven with TEA.
4. Playing pool. I'm a hustler, baby.
5. Writing. Nothing like a bad day out there to make me sit at my laptop and tap away.