Autumn is finally here

 

Dear Bloggers,

Last night, the wind finally howled around the house, singing its dramatic, ghostly tunes through the open windows. It took its sweet time, but old man autumn has officially arrived. The temperature has taken an absolute dive at least during the nightly hours, and it’s finally time to zip those heavy winter coats right up to our chins. Inside, it’s all brilliantly warm and cozy as the heating is back on during the evening and cold morning hours; outside, it’s a beautifully wild, grey, and stormy mess. Honestly, what more could an old sailor ask for? Pop the kettle on, I would say! And enjoy a warm cup of coffee or tea.

A nice cup of shut the f.ck up

Right now, I am thoroughly enjoying the grand national symphony of people whining and groaning. The Dutch public can finally return to their absolute favorite pastime: aggressively complaining about the weather! I do wonder sometimes, is their worldview really that tiny? Or does a bit of a breeze genuinely ruin their day? To me, a proper downpour is just a minor inconvenience, not the end of the world. But if you listen to some of these folks on the bus or in the supermarket queue, you'd think a bit of drizzle was a fatal diagnosis! My dear lord are they that far away from nature and is their life that empty that they not even can enjoy the change of seasons.

Not a single roof tile has actually touched the pavement yet, but people are already gossiping over the fence as if we’ve just survived a category 5 hurricane. It makes me laugh. Imagine the absolute meltdown if a proper storm hits! Trees ripped out by their roots, tiles flying through the air like frisbees, and public transport gets completely paralyzed. Though, let’s be honest, we shouldn't count National Rail in that—the trains already suffer from "square wheels" and existential dread the second a single, stray autumn leaf touches the tracks! Dutch railways are something special I guess!

The Met Office will undoubtedly issue a "Severe Weather Warning" and tell everyone to stay indoors because, god forbid, a bit of weather is happening outside. Our once so down-to-earth, stiff-upper-lip nation now gets completely stressed out, plunging into blind panic the moment a dark cloud appears. "Oh no, dear, we might be twenty minutes late for tea!" Instantly, every weather app crashes under the pressure and the rail timetable website goes completely dark. On the Television the explain about “Code Red“. Oh come on It is a bit rough out there and yes at sea nature tosses you around like a bouncing ball. Just enjoy the beautiful skies and the rouge waves this is also what nature is.

Life used to be so wonderfully simple, but we've gone and made it terribly complicated. The exact second modern humans can't text, WhatsApp, or scroll through their phones, their entire world comes to a grinding halt. They are left stranded, bewildered, and utterly lonely and mostly because actual, face-to-face human contact seems to have gone completely out of fashion. Mind you, a good old-fashioned storm is the perfect excuse to ignore everyone anyway! Just pick up yourself and go on what life is giving you and yes in most cases you will survive this severe conditions.

Enjoy the stormy weather and have a nice warm beverage when you come home.

The Old Sailor,