The battle started at the end of the summer, an event that is clearly marked in my mind by "The Last Night of The Proms" not the pseudo events that take place around the country as an excuse to get people to sit in a field and pay money for the privilege, but the real event, the actual event at the Royal Albert Hall. In my mind, and shared by others, that one event alone, and regardless of all the mumbo-jumbo about Indian Summers and hot weather fronts, is the true end of Summer. It is like Labour Day in the USA, it is the salient event that triggers the start of a whole host of chain reactions.
And so the battle starts...........
From this day onwards my whole attitude changes, my whole routine changes and my whole cycle of events changes -
- Attitude - I am like a hunting dog straining at the leash, I say nothing openly, I may make the odd comment, like the dog whining, but I do not enter into diatribes and rants about future events. But I observe. I go to supermarkets and notice spaces being cleared and different stock arriving, I eagerly hunt for the sneaky appearance of give away products, and I spot these tell tale signs that others miss. I buy the Sunday Times avidly to scan through the Culture section to see what concert dates are released, these too add to my tension until it is like a bow string stretched to breaking point.
- Routine - I start scanning the trees, checking for leaf change and conker development to show the season change. I check temperatures regularly to allow for addition of jumpers into the wardrobe, and then I spend hours, literally hours reading and scanning on-line for winter weather forecasts, changes, snow reports and ice reports, just to make sure things are going OK.
- Cycle of Events - From the proms onwards things become more important, before they are not as important, but now there is a battle raging inside, I have this to deal with and control, and at the same time I am scanning papers, emails, magazines even shop windows for signs of activity, looking for the addition of extremities to buildings to hold things and places to visit. The cycle just got tighter!!!
So let's look at the year and then I can explain the battle, but I am going to start in June, for ease -
- June, July, August - Summer, long days, sun (maybe!!) and not really much to worry about.
- September, October, November - Let's come back to this.
- December, January, February - CHRISTMAS, and then a huge come down!!!
- March, April, May - Forget new life, March is Yuk!! April is a bit better and at least May is getting to Summer!!
Last Night of The Proms has kicked things off, Summer has ended and hold on tight the ride starts here, the mad roller coaster ride that happens every year and, like all roller coasters, has ups and downs and twists and turns, but always ends with a breathless rush to the finish!!
So we climb the first incline, slowly, but at every turn of the wheels the anticipation grows, the knot in the belly gets bigger, as the climb gets a bit higher and the imagination starts whirring more and more, and all the time the Angel and the Devil keep on saying STOP and GO, GO like to demented mice on wheels. I hold my breath, afraid that if I breath I may blurt out my feelings and the Devil will win over before the race is run.
Silent I simmer, still I buzz with anticipation, my Wife knows and throws me the occasional lifeline in trips to wholesale suppliers that are more ahead than retail, akin to providing a drug addict with a small "fix" occasionally these visits go some way to maintaining me on an even keel, the Angel continues to pour soothing words into my psyche in an attempt to just keep me fighting a little longer.
IT IS NOW OCTOBER!!!!!
I have held back for over a month, yes I know the Proms were 8th September, but I started looking in August!! I cannot suffer any more, I have to bow to the inevitable, I tried to to keep this silence going, I fought hard against the tied that is heralded by the time. I have laid in bed with my iPod playing tunes of this period to try and maintain my status-quo, well I just can't any longer.............
You see, September, October, November are the best months of the year, they are the run up to CHRISTMAS. As of December 1st we have 31 days of Christmas and then we have January, February and March of absolute Yuk, April is not much better, but, September, October and November are pure heaven as everywhere prepares for December!!
Shops start filling with Christmas fayre, outside Christmas lights start adorning High Streets, vendors sell chestnuts, and most importantly, people generally smile!!
I accept Christmas can be a terrible time for people, and I accept Christmas is really for the children, but it is also for everyone. Forget the religious side of things, just look around, smile at people, say hello and Happy Christmas. You will be surprised at the response. Christmas is hard for many, and we must not forget that, but to show them kindness and friendship with a smile and a few words costs nothing, I expect that those few minutes spent will mean a lot to some people.
I also want you to think of one other thing, I have a strange view on gifts, I have always had this -
The value of a gift to me is not a monetary thing, I do not really care if something cost a thousand pounds or a penny. I really don't, what touches me is that someone has thought of me, and decided I would like an item and have a use for it and therefore wrapped it for me, taken the time to think of me and decide this for me!! It might be they saw me struggle with a load of paper so wrapped a few paper clips, they saw, they thought and they acted. That is what Christmas presents mean**.
And there is the battle I have been having, I have lost, but I do not care, because now it is out there, it is the countdown to Christmas Day - 84 Sleeps, 2017 Hours, and it is on a Tuesday!!!
**Mother, if you are reading this, I struggled driving last week, and an Aston Martin would really help!!!
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