Rain, rain, go away

The sun came out just long enough yesterday to almost dry out our lawn. I urged Jason to get out there with the mower before the grass threatened to engulf our home and several small animals. Sure enough, as soon as the last of the grass cuttings were squeezed into our green bin, the heavens opened yet again and down came the rain.

Now, I know I should count my blessings. I am not stuck on the M5 motorway overnight because flood-struck traffic is at a standstill. I did not have to wade in waist-deep water to the shops for emergency water supplies. My children were not stuck on the roof of their school waiting for helicopter rescue. All these things have happened to English people just to the south of us in the past few days (and just to the north of us in previous weeks). No, I am Just Sick Of The Rain.

I blame Tony Blair for leaving office. Vineyards flourished in Yorkshire during his 10-year term of globally warmed weather. No sooner does Gordon Brown step in but the depths of a miserable Scottish Highland storm descend on the nation. A summer of dour gloom indeed. (apologies to all Scots who thinks their weather is perfectly fine, thank you very much)

It seems that extreme weather is the new norm for all of us, whether we live in Tewkesbury-under-water, severe-heatwave struck Spain or bitterly cold wintery Sydney. But the impact is for carbon-footprint aware Poms to immediately buy any remaining ticket they can find on a jet plane heading as far south as they can in search of the sun... fuelling further carbon emissions into the atmosphere. Forget the claims that "Northumberland is the new Riviera" - reality has hit home with a vengeance and those who chose to holiday at home are wearing wellies rather than bikinis.

As for us... well Dylan's school holidays have just begun and I will take advantage of any non-rainy moment to tour the rest of the midlands before we head back to Sydney spring. Yesterday we took a wonderful steam train ride along the Churnet Valley (in Staffordshire), with brightly coloured canal boats alongside the train tracks. And our August family holiday will be spent in... Scotland. If you can't beat 'em, join 'em!