Eskimo Lu

My house is an igloo; more precisely a western adaptation of the igloo concept as it is a 1970s style structure with single glazed windows, and plenty of them, little in the way of insulation and absolutely no installed/fixed heating. Of course there is always the option of turning on an electric heater to warm one’s fingers and toes but electric radiators struggle to get essential warmth through to the very bones and are completely uneconomic, burning through electricity with reckless abandon.

None of this is a bad thing. To many the idea of enduring life in the cold is untenable, an unmitigated, unacceptable personal disaster in a climate that does seem to offer endless bleak, overcast days & the odd Arctic wind and subzero temperature in winter. However, not every day is a miserable one! Much of the Canterbury winter features ferocious yet spectacular morning frosts leading, invariably, to the most perfect of sunny, wind-free  days; days, I submit, where it is so easy to laze like a lizard out of doors in blissful ignorance of any  meteorological mischief that may be lurking in the distant skies or the days ahead.

I’m pleased to tell you that cold weather incites this human to action! I find the cold a most excellent catalyst to exercise. Daily I stride out of my front gate and embark on a vigorous walk, albeit less than aerobic, for a few kilometres. As you fitness fiends will know, on your return to your igloo after exercise the house seems so warm and cosy. The need for artificial heating becomes less important and as you cool down there is nothing finer and more luxurious than to don a thick dressing gown or warm house coat.

Rather than huddle in front of your heat pumps, radiators and log burners I urge you all to cast aside the cosseting, upgrade your status from milksop to man, accelerate the circulation of blood in your veins, build up your resistance to illness, go forth and enjoy.

It’s mid July at the moment and in just over 7 weeks it will officially be the first day of Spring here in this glorious part of the world. Winter is such a short interlude in the annual calendar of seasons and a time when we should be celebrating our good fortune at having four distinct seasons, unlike many parts of the world where the seasons are somewhat blurred with median temperatures constant and the changes from season to season barely noticeable. There is palpable excitement in Christchurch at the arrival of Spring, heralded by a profusion of daffodils, tens of thousands of them, in parks, gardens, on roadside verges and on office desks; these beautiful, bright yellow flowers bring to us more than their visual delight. They offer an emotional, sometimes euphoric release from the previous season, a psychological pointer to the summer ahead. People emerge from hibernation and the streets become so much busier as everyone unwraps their light clothing, bares the occasional leg and increasingly frequents their local cafes and coffee shops to re-engage not only with their fellows but also with  birds of flight and salady type foods.

Summer brings with it the prospect of annual holidays away at the bach, or overseas, or indeed at home working in the garden and around the house. The joy of long days, 10.30pm sunsets, barbeques, traditional celebrations like Christmas and New Year all contribute to a lifting of everyones’ spirits.

It’s not until early April that we find ourselves moving gently into one of the most appealing seasons of all, Autumn. There are few in this country who are unaware of places like Arrowtown in Central Otago; a special place which exudes a quintessential autumnal charisma, the mesmeric, crepuscular-like phantasmagoric plays of sunlight, shadows, browns, yellows and all the hues in between enthralling and captivated all who pass through this unique wonderland.

And then there is the steely embrace of winter once again with its promise of mountain skiing, snow covered landscapes, frozen lakes and entrancingly frosty mornings followed by days like today, cloudless skies, bright, warm sunshine and no wind. Ah, tis time for another walk........