Spring's here?

Spring is here. Or so I'm told. From all the catalogs, mailers and brochures.

Since a month ago, Target, Big W and K-mart have been showcasing models wearing short-sleeved, thin blouses and short pants. The guys wear polo tees and bermudas and the kids are in flowery summer dresses and swimming costumes. A lot of emphasis of their ads are also on the gardening and outdoor activities. Gardening tools, planting mixes, BBQ pits, outdoor furnitures, gazebos - these are the stuff that's been bombarding our brains (and tempting our wallets) these days. It sure looks like people are gearing up for the warmer weather and great fun ahead.

I'm actually looking forward to warmer days. I can't wait to declare that I don't need to switch on the gas heating anymore and can walk around the house with just one layer of clothing. I would like to get out there and see the flowers in my garden a bit more. And not feel my pores contract the moment I turn off the hot water in the shower. If possible, I'm planning to have a nice BBQ at NOON. How cool is that! That is something I've never done in Singapore. But it looks like I may have to wait a little more.

The weather these few days have been terrible. After 2 warm nights over the weekend, Monday was a day of rain and strong winds. Hubby said it reminded him of when we first moved here. We heard howling winds and the shaking of our garage door the whole night. The temperature went down to 8 degrees in the evening. And the sun? Nowhere to be seen.

Tuesday was just as windy with slight rain. We turned on our gas heating in the evening. In climates like these, when I looked at all those 'sunny' catalogs, I was thinking: 'Are you crazy? No way I'm gonna dress like this and go out'. In fact, when I looked around the playground last Sunday, a lot of people are still dressed in their fleece and woolies. Open-toed slippers? Only a few brave souls attempted it.

Today's weather seemed much better. At least for now, the sun is shining. Slowly but surely, Spring is on its way. And that's the beauty of the seasons. With each new season comes fresh changes, be it the natural environment or at home. A fresh wardrobe, new activities, different shoes. That's Life.