Germany... why do you rain on me so?

Sometimes, when you're feeling down, it's the simplest things you have a hard time getting up the motivation to do.

It's been a year and half now that we've been living in Germany and I can't say that I wasn't warned about the weather.  The cloud cover and rain is getting to me.  Although it hasn't been especially cold yet, I honestly would trade a few major snowstorms and much chillier temperatures for these weeks upon weeks of grey skies.

Just before we were moved to Germany, C. and I took a three week trip to Thailand and met several Germans on an island in the South.  They were about our age and younger and they were completely giddy.  Not 'on vacation' giddy, but 'I've-never-been-this-happy-in-my-life-and-I-may-never-be-again' giddy.  At the time, I wrote it off as being a result of it being their first exposure to Thailand, a place I love and that also makes me supremely happy... but it was more than that... and now I understand.  It was late February, and they had not seen the sun come out in Germany since at least November.  They were sun-starved and it showed on their glee-filled, sunburned faces.

Despite what you may think you know about Canada, with the exception of the coasts, we are a sunny nation.  In the dead of winter, it is so cold on the prairies precisely because it is so sunny.  There is no cloud cover to keep things warm.  Just clear blue skies, bright sun, and  blood-curdling temperatures.  Although you run through the street to your car, bundled up and swearing less quietly than you should, once inside, you can sit back by the fire or with a warm cup of coffee and let the sunlight spill through the windows.

Summers on the prairies get quite warm and when the rare clouds do blow in, it is usually to take part in a fantastic thunderstorm, before rolling right on.

I can dress for the cold, I can dress for the warmth, but I have not yet figured out how to get out and about during the rain and the drizzle.  I love the sound of a rainstorm on the windows and skylights, but day after day and night after night is a bit ridiculous, and I'm definitely starting to crack.  Everyone seems a little less cheery, a little less smiley and bright as these days wear on.  We slouch a little more, bow our heads on our walks, and even our canine companions seem more apt to laying in front of the fireplace than romping in the fields.

So what to do?  Short of moving to Hawaii (which is high on the future wishlist... bring on the sunshine baby!!),  it's the end of January and with at least another two months of this, I have to figure out how to get it together.  We have another deployment on the horizon and many changes in the near future, but I can't very well hide out for the next two months... so what to do?

To be continued...  ;o)