for STRAIGHT TALK
CAROL McGIFFIN
THE WAY I SEE IT... Wise words from our feisty, fearless and funny columnist
Remember how your mum used to say stuff that you thought was nonsense, because you knew better? Well, I do. One that springs to mind at this very moment is, ‘Never cast a clout until May’s out’. This was the mantra, when I used to beg her not to make me wear a coat and scarf to school when it was, according to her, still winter. I thought it was because she was old and didn’t understand that kids don’t feel the cold so much, but she was right then and (if she was still with us) she’d be right now.
About a month ago, we dispatched all our woollies to storage, our big duvet and flannelette sheets, fleecy dressing gowns and socks. We also put all the portable heaters away and cleaned out the fireplace ready for next winter. But then suddenly, we were engulfed in some kind of deep, winter revival, with what felt like a polar vortex thrown in for good measure. At first, we tried to keep calm and carry on, but as it didn’t seem to be ending any time soon, so we had to re-instate the lot. Honestly, it’s like a Benny Hill sketch over here!
I wouldn’t mind, but they keep telling us the planet is getting dangerously hot and soon lava will be coming out of the taps.
Well, that clearly isn’t happening, not with frost on the car and snow on the mountains across the way in May.
The south of France, it’s not. In fact, there’s weird weather everywhere. Floods in Dubai, which is IN TH
