Cool Change

The weather is a funny old thing.
It affects our mood, our wellbeing, our timing, how we dress, what we eat, how we sleep, what we drink, where we reside, our occupation, our travel.
It affects many choices we make.

We do in fact, live by it.

Post September 11, I asked a close friend, a pilot, did he have concerns about terrorism. His response was he was more concerned about weather. I vividly remember he didn't say 'the' weather. It was just weather.
I guess that's how important it is.
It required no definitive article.

Of all the places I have resided, and there have been a few, I have never come across a phenomenom more intriguing than Victoria's very own 'Cool Change'.

I have never known anything that sparks such excitement, such anticipation, such wonderment and such a sense of approaching relief as those two little words - 'cool change'. It's the greatest chinese whisper ever, a ripple effect that engulfs a city, a state. And the fact that it can be almost timed to the minute really is incredulous. 36' one minute - throw open the windows - and 22' the next.




I have to say - I think that unless you have ever been lucky enough to experience this little gift of nature you may not understand how really magical it is - but it is.

And boy - do we need a cool change right about now.

Ten days of temperatures in the mid 30's. It doesn't really sound all that diabolical, but the thing is that this is around the clock. There has been no reprieve come nightfall. No let up. And temperaments have become a little frazzled. The cool change may not have arrived on the outside but it has certainly arrived on the inside.


I have observed closely different behaviours in the last few weeks.
And sadly, I have to say alot of it has not been so charming.  When so much has been done to improve climate change, it seems disappointing that spiralling temperaments can bring it all undone.
But you know what. I don't care.
There comes a time where you just have to say I no longer care. For now anyway. Because I am being my very own cool change. I. DON'T. CARE. Fight it out among amongst yourselves. 
Just give me a doona and a self saucing pudding.

I'm down to my last half a Stillnox. And my Doctor is not very quick handed with the prescription pen! I feel like the walking dead. Can't sleep with the aircon on, can't sleep with it off, can't sleep with the sheet on, can't sleep with it off, can't sleep with the fan on, can't sleep with it off, can't sleep with clothes on and definitely can't sleep with them off!! Ooh wah - naughty! But how will my dreams ever come true if I can't get to sleep!

And I am almost destitute paying the electricity and the petrol bills. The price of petrol has been scandalous in the last 3 weeks - when everyone is using double what they normally would because it is being sucked up by the aircon. It's a conspiracy. And as for pedicures. They are sending me broke. All I want to to do is wear my boots again. That's all I want!
That's it!


This morning I saw the darndest thing. On the bridge. Normally the left inbound lane is the quickest as it is the first exit. But not this morning. Crawling, crawling,crawling while all other lanes were whizzing by .. until suddenly I saw why. A pedestrian! A young lady walking along in the left lane (this is not a pedestrian bridge!) wearing a motor bike helmet. Not walking actually - more like striding. And with a face of thunder. All I could think was that she about to jump. Or maybe she was a Grand Prix protestor? It was all very mysterious. Until I got to the bottom of the bridge, the first place anyone could possibly pull over. And there was the answer. A motorcyclist. A young man, standing beside his bike. Looking back up the bridge. With a face of absolute fear. Dread. I don't know what happened. Did she fall off the bike or did she jump off. Did he push her? I don't know. But I do know one thing. With the looks on those faces the cool change will have certainly arrived at the bottom of the bridge this morning ..

Which means it will be here in Brighton in 17 minutes!
So throw open the windows 
Shout it from the rooftops.
'The cool change' is coming ..
I am excited!

This blog is dedicated with thanks to my friend and colleague Dr Erikson who refreshed my memory regarding adjectives, verbs and articles - not of the couture type!