Start of Winter

It has started to be cold here.Last week temperature dropped
as low as -3C.Its still october. I cant imagine what it will
be like in December-Jan.
England is supposed to have the dreariest climate in winter.

I dont know which is most horrible about winter:

/Sleeping on beds with icy springs.

/Getting up in the morning and putting your foot into icy slippers.

/dreading the washing days, when you have to take out icy semi
dried clothes from the washing machine, and go out to the
freezing yard, to hang them.

/struggle with the bathroom taps to get the perfect blend
of hot and cold water in the bath tub and end up
burning/freezing myself in the process.

/countless other little little things that literally causes
a shiver to run down your spine.

Getting up in the morning and motivating myself to take a bath is
the biggest challenge that I am facing nowadays.

When I was a small kid, we cousins back in India, used to play
games where we imagined we were in some cold country and
wind was blowing outside the house n all.We used to have lots
of fun huddling under the blankets, and pretending that it was
veeeery cold ( even in the sweltering heat of India).

Now..so far away from home i am reliving those childhood
fantasies..except that i now dont need to pretend about
being cold.

Luckily we have the luxury of having a single tap for hot n cold
water.It allows you to get lukewarm water, on opening the hot n
cold ones simultaneously.In my colleagues place, they are having
separate hot n cold water taps.Yesterday,I had the laugh of my
lifetime, when he demonstrated, how he managed to brush his
teeth while shuttling hands btw hot and cold water taps.

Its ok when it rains. Somehow i feel that the cold is reduced
pretty much. But on days that are windy, it just is impossible
to walk.When it snows, it is slippery as well.

Another thing is the shorter day cycles.Its for the first time
I'm seeing Sun setting at 3:30 -4:00 PM

I've started wearing my winter coat now.With my kiddish
framework, it was pretty difficult to find myself a coat.
The one that I am having now, was given to me by my
sister in law ..pure white in colour,and reaching 2 inches
below my knee..with a high collar.Its slightly large size makes
me look funny though i dont mind as long as I am not cold.

I feel like the pathetic little characters in Oliver Twist, turning
my coat collar up high, and walking along the streets in an
oversized coat,hands in pocket head bent ,feeling the biting cold
eat into my cheekbones.

I'm still waiting to see my first major snowfall. Because its the
first time,I am pretty excited about the season..and i guess this
excitement will pull me through the months to come.Also there is
Christmas and the countless parties to look forward to.