Sunrise, Sunset

It gets dark here much too early. I have heard folks from my home planet complain about the early duskiness since daylight savings time ended, but folks, it doesn't get DARK at 4 p.m. where you are. And I don't mean dusky. That starts at about 3:30. For this very light dependent creature, not having light beyond teatime is just plain HARD.

Yesterday was bright and beautiful with sunshine and puffy clouds. I am not sure, but I think I heard Julie Andrews in the distance.  I hurried to throw some laundry in the wash to take advantage of the now not so dependable sun. And for a couple of wonderful hours, my jeans and sheets and towels sunbathed happily on my line. Unfortunately, a couple of hours does not a dry towel make. In the waning daylight, I released my freshly laundered items from their clothes-pinned incarceration and hauled them indoors to drape over every singe radiator in the house.

I don't mind having toasty-oasty dry clothes freshly baked from my radiators (see radiator pants entry) but when it is dark...and I mean PITCH BLACK NOTHINGNESS outside, and you have clothes and towels and pillow cases strewn about,  one's house starts to take on a rather seedy appearance. Translation - depressing. I have decided Hyacinth Bucket has a tumble dryer. I do not think she would allow for such commonness.

I whined and moaned to John about the fleeting daylight, and he was thrilled to tell me that on the shortest day, the sun will set at 3:50 pm...that is not even 4 o'clock folks. By three my body will decide it is supper time! John was so excited to share this depressing factoid with me. I wanted to weep. Oh, and said shortest day is over a month away. I may not survive until December 21st. I do now totally get the whole bear hibernation deal. I would gladly curl up in a warm cave and sleep until the sun decides to grace us with its presence for more than a few hours.

I guess I am going to have to rise a bit earlier to take advantage of every single nano-second of daylight. The problem is that the opposite of nighttime darkness is not always glorious Rodgers and Hammerstein production number worthy sunshine. More often than not, nighttime darkness gives way to murky drizzly overcast misery-filled day-not-light. Luckily, man learnt how to build fire (see man make fire entry), and I can enjoy a cosy snuggle in front of its crackling comfort.

I must go now...the sun is shining and I must drink it all in whilst I can!

This was taken just before 3 pm as the sun decided to leave my garden. At 3:30 pm it was too dusky for  the picture to show up.