SAD to say, but rain has stopped play

Jul 26 2007 by Paul Corcoran, Liverpool Daily Post

THEY say the weather can have a serious effect on our personalities, how we behave and our outlooks on life be it rain or shine

As a result of the continuing downpours we have been less than lucky to have welcomed of late, I am feeling more summer angst than summer breeze right now. Although I am not suffering from a bout of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) I am beginning to feel some of the symptoms associated with the condition.

Like many people, I am becoming more and more frustrated with our "summer" so far and as a result have quite happily hid away for the last week under my own grey cloud at home. Although, as per the saying, "every cloud has a silver lining", mine is definitely my new-look home – a perfect refuge from the rain.

But who could blame me, or any of us for that matter, for choosing to stay home each evening and avoid another soaking, rather than participate in the usual summer evening activities? Why bother making the effort to look good when you know you will simply end up drenched through within seconds of closing the front door behind you?

This time last year virtually every evening you would have found me having barbeques with friends in Sefton Park. Whole groups of us turned out, each bringing different foodstuffs, drinks and activities to keep us fed and entertained during the balmy summer evenings. More often than not we would chat until it got dark, not realising what time it was and then struggle to find our way back out of the park again. This year I haven’t set foot in the place once.

In fact, on a rare walk through the city centre last weekend, for which I quite ridiculously decided to wear my Haviana flip flops, it became apparent that the vast majority of people have given up on venturing outside in this weather.

Lord Street and Church Street were almost deserted, apart from the odd straggler taking refuge in a shop doorway or scuttling past me buried under a sodden umbrella. Me, I took neither option. No sooner had I decided to finally leave my apartment when the heavens opened and I had to admit defeat. Rain, rain and more rain.

Unarmed against it and wholly incorrectly attired I could but look on with envy at those who had taken the correct measures of wearing appropriate footwear. They in turn looked at me like I had escaped from a nearby lunatic asylum – oh well, if the cap fits.

Looking to vent my anger for this dreadful weather on someone, my fury has turned to pop star Rihanna, who I am now holding personally responsible for the serious thrashing all al fresco activities have taken of late.

It can be no coincidence that since her single, Umbrella, went to Number one all that time ago (it is now the biggest-selling single of the year) we have seen very little sun. I personally have spent more money on umbrellas than anything else – I am now on my fourth and counting.

And so, as I begin to plan my celebrations for my birthday not- so-spectacular next month, I am keeping everything crossed that the weather will turn and we can make up for what has been a complete wash out of a summer so far.

In fact, it has been so miserable, that even the time-honoured phrase: "I think we are going to have an Indian summer this year’ which loosely translates as: ‘The summer has disappeared yet again so lets hold out for a sunny September" has been abandoned. Now that really is SAD.