Sunshine in a Cloudy Month

So the numbers are in, and apparently January was at least as bad as I thought it was. A summary in The Vancouver Sun yesterday reported that we only had 6.5 hours of bright sunshine measured at the Vancouver International Airport up until Friday (the average for the month should be 60 and there’s only a week left). We had a 19-day foggy stretch! No wonder I was feeling desperate!

And now, we’re expecting a light snowfall to accompany a system change — it’s gorgeously sunny, though cold, in Vancouver today, but already snowing in Nanaimo where I’ll be headed shortly.

But when I got here Friday afternoon, Pater had these waiting for me in the empty apartment to keep me company ’til he got back. Later, we had sushi, and several hours with Nola, and saw The Duchess which I would recommend for fine acting, gorgeous costumes, a view of a 19th-century “It” girl, and an education as to what feminists have achieved for us over the past 200 or so years.

And I had a revitalizing run in the cold sunshine on Saturday morning — I loved it! So exhilarating, really what I needed. After three or four weeks of not running because of the snow, I’m trying to get a decent base again before building up to longer weekend runs — I ran a slow pace for just over an hour Saturday, so I’m getting there.

Next post I’ll tell a bit about what else warmed up my weekend: Carmen! What about you? Good weekend? Mine was far from restful (indeed, I’d probably feel harassed if I had to fit so much into a weekday), but I’m feeling rejuvenated nonetheless. Are you ready for the week ahead?

11 Comments

  1. Susan B
    26 January 2009 / 2:00 am

    Ooh, such lovely flowers, how thoughtful of Pater!

    We’ve got a week of sunshine on deck, at least according to weather.com, which is disappointing as we’re way behind on rainfall for the year. Another dry winter means more bad fires come summer.

    So “The Duchesse” was good? You’re the first person I know who’s seen it! It’s out of the theaters here so I’ll have to wait for the DVD release at this point.

  2. Miss Ripley
    26 January 2009 / 2:08 am

    Mr Ripley and I also went out for a run Saturday morning, and he spotted Pater! Were the two of you out together? I was oblivious, as we were in one of the “brisk” phases of our Run 10K Faster clinic. So we didn’t say hi, but here’s a belated hello.

  3. materfamilias
    26 January 2009 / 2:13 am

    Pseu: That would be a worry, hard though it is for me to think of lack of rainfall as a problem. As for The Duchess, we rented the DVD — I think it’s just out — kept mine AND Pater’s attention, so not just a chick flick (altho’ probably more appealing to women)
    Miss R: We tend to do different runs — Pater does a loop over the Cambie Bridge and back over Burrard. I’m not too keen on the bridges altho’ I’ll do the Burrard if I want to head out towards Spanish Banks. I’m more likely to run the Stanley Park Seawall. Besides, we obviously have different paces, and when we run together I always feel even slower than I am!! On top of all that, he doesn’t usually run as far as I do.
    So you Mr. R. are picking up the pace with a Run 10K Faster clinic, eh? Good for you! And I’ll pass the “hello” along to Pater.

  4. Anonymous
    26 January 2009 / 6:56 am

    Hi, I’m finally going to the Opera House, albeit to see a ballet (Anna Karenina). I’ll let you know how it was in a couple of weeks, including whether or not people dress up(it’s on a Thursday night). Patricia

  5. indigo16
    26 January 2009 / 12:49 pm

    Gym, tidy-up and wash clothes. Dullsville I know, but sometimes it’s good to chill. I ended up making chicken soup, but it beats opening a tin!
    I am still recovering from taking the girls to the Saatchi gallery last week!

  6. Duchesse
    26 January 2009 / 3:56 pm

    Sun, flowers (good man!), movement, what a spirit-lifter.

    (I’m fine with the cold as long as it’s sunny. For obvious reasons, am renting “The Duchesse” immediately! After a very social weekend: my women’s poker group on Friday, dinner for 7o n Saturday, and brunch with friends on Sunday I’m ready to coccoon.

  7. TheSundayBest
    26 January 2009 / 5:01 pm

    I’m going to need flowers like these to get me through. Office + grey = SAD.

  8. La Belette Rouge
    26 January 2009 / 8:37 pm

    Your weekend looks like it was a lovely one. Mine was filled with mama drama so I ma very happy it is Monday.

  9. materfamilias
    26 January 2009 / 9:04 pm

    Patricia: How exciting! You’ll have to give me a report, absolutely! What are you wearing?
    Alison: I admit that I really like dull weekends as a respite from the busy-ness. Otherwise, I end up with piles of dirty laundry and a desktop buried under files and books and articles . . .
    Duchesse: I love my time with Pater, but I admit to feeling a bit envious of all your socializing with friends. You WIll need to coccoon, though, after all that — and The Duchess will be perfect for La Duchesse!
    Thomas: I’m always happy when the tulips and daffodils start showing up to puncture the mid-winter gloom — get yourself a bunch for the office!
    LBR: Mama drama, oh dear! Evocative phrase — hope you’re recovering, with Lily’s help.

  10. Anonymous
    27 January 2009 / 7:06 am

    Only having 6.5 hours of sunshine, that sounds painful – even though I mostly complain about too much sunshine here. A lack of sunshine can really affect people’s moods, so I’m glad you got to have a run and enjoy some sun on the week-end.

  11. materfamilias
    28 January 2009 / 5:26 am

    Cybill: It wasn’t fun,especially the 19-consecutive-days-of-fog! But that weekend sun has charged up my batteries. Hard to imagine a place where there’s too much of it, but if I lived there, I’d probably tire of its constancy.

Copyright

Unless otherwise stated, all words and photographs in this blog are my own. If you wish to use any of them, please give me credit for my work. And it should go without saying, but apparently needs to be said: Do not publish entire posts as your own. I will take the necessary action to stop such theft. Thanks.