The main reason for this trip is for my beautiful Bex's graduation. I'm so proud of her it's ridiculous; My dad would be so proud of her too. I don't have a degree and I don't believe that everyone should have a degree to be deemed employable but I have a huge amount of respect for Bex actually sticking her course out. It was a bit hit and miss at times! So I have the perfect excuse to go and visit my daughter. But luckily for me her graduation coincides with Asking on tour in the UK. Which means I got a Brucie Bonus, I got to see both of my beautiful kids this trip. Happy days. Hence the countdown had a feeling of immense excitement. Two for the price of one.
Now, as always I try and visit my lovely mum whenever I'm home, so I flew into London on Saturday, got the train to Plymouth, then Bex and I drove to Oxford on Sunday to spend the night with mum, drove back to Plymouth on Monday, I got the train to London on Tuesday, headed up to Manchester on Wednesday to see my Beautiful Ben and the Six Litre Club, train back to London Friday, back to Plymouth Saturday and Sunday, Monday night is back in London for my return flight to Dubai on Tuesday... And breathe!! But I love it. A full on absorption of some of my favourite people. This is why I'm not homesick because I really am very lucky and get my fill of family time. I haven't seen Ben since December last year but we text and chat so I don't feel like I'm missing out on any of his time; and Bex sees plenty of me
One of the nicest things is that I'm home at the end of Autumn, one of my favourite seasons. We don't get seasons in Dubai so I love all the changes from one season to the next. I love seeing the shop windows full of Autumn/Winter fashion. They try in Dubai, we get warmer clothes in but it always feels out of place; just wrong.
The freshness of Autumn when the chill is just starting to be palpable in the air is invigorating. Yes, it's a reminder that the long grey, wet days of winter are just around the corner but don't write Autumn off too soon. It's not the poor relative to winter. It's a beautiful season in its own right. How can you not love the crunch of leaves under your feet. A brisk walk on a sunny day watching the leaves turn from their Summer abundance to the richness of the golds and bronzes of Autumn, a promise that after they've rested during the winter months, they will burst back full of renewed life in the Spring. It's the perfect way to ease into winter, no sudden shocks just the gradual change of the leaves on the trees, a sharper breeze blowing and the days becoming shorter.
One of the downsides of Autumn though is the need to eat stodgier meals. During the Spring and Summer, most of us eat more carbs and proteins. The weather is warmer, evenings are longer and we are drawn to lighter meals. We don't need need to eat to keep warm. During Autumn we develop a tendency for fattier foods, which leads to the dreaded seasonal weight gain that all women despair about in the run up to Christmas. Research suggests that low levels of vitamin D (the sunshine vitamin) can lead to weight gain during Autumn and Winter. Lack of vitamin D reduces fat breakdown and triggers fat storage. So maybe that's my excuse. Lol! One of the other downsides is Autumnal depression or seasonal affective disorder (SAD) which affects between 4-5% of the population. It generally affects more women than men. And let's be honest who doesn't feel better on a bright sunny day. It lifts our mood and makes us enjoy life a bit more. A perfect autumnal day is crisp and bright, cold with blue skies. It makes you want to wrap up and breathe in the fresh air knowing that you've a nice warm house to return to. A mug of steaming hot chocolate or a rich glass of red wine.
Then Halloween marks the end of Autumn and moves us into Winter. The concept of wearing masks and costumes comes from an ancient Celtic tradition. The Celts believed ghosts roamed on Halloween, and people wore disguises to hide from the spirits. Surely some of those disguises are scarier than the thought of bumping into a ghost. But that's another blog! I love Halloween.
So as we embrace the change of season remember that according to superstition, catching leaves in Autumn brings good luck and each leaf caught means a lucky month next year. Get your bobble hat and gloves on, wrap up and take yourself outside, look up at the trees and catch your lucky leaves. Bring on the good luck for the year ahead.