Julie's Boggle

Out and about in the streets these days, it’s hard to miss the colourful signals that the season is changing yet again. Gloriously yellow but increasingly threadbare trees losing their hold on the last of the summer’s leaves – a vivid reminder that autumn is here.

In South Africa, where the seasonal changes are a lot less obvious, you very seldom hear people come out with phrases like “we had a quiet summer”, or “that project will start in the autumn”. I used to think it was a quaint habit (it reminded me of American movies), but have fallen into the habit along with all the locals.

While autumn feels so much like an ending – of all the lovely long evenings in particular – it’s when the school year starts. (In all countries actually, but here in the northern hemisphere it just doesn’t coincide so neatly with the start of the calendar year). 17-plus years spent in various institutions whose years begin in January make this a hard one to get used to (“What? Back-to-school merchandise in September?”), but I’m gradually getting over it.

Then comes winter which the English like to get all gloomy about. And it is somewhat sobering when the sun starts going down before 4pm. But for me it quickly became synonymous with Christmas and all the happy thoughts that go with that. Frosty air, dark streets and warm, cosy scenes through the lit windows.

Winter doesn’t even get a chance to loose its grip properly before the spring bulbs start to emerge – the bright yellow daffodils generally stealing the show. Then comes March and the gorgeous cherry blossom on many trees. Spring is also the last of the UK three school terms, so it’s when students and scholars start knuckling down for finals – the promise of long summer holidays on the horizon.

And then there’s summer. A lazy time when almost all organised activities come to a halt. Many families, especially those with school-aged children head off on long holidays and across the City there seems to be a collective pausing for breath.

This year I was much more conscious of the laid-back summer approach, mostly because I suddenly had two months with nothing on the calendar! All the regular activities that Jon and I stay busy with weren’t running and once I got into it, it turned out to be a very welcome change of pace.

At the last play group of the term, many phone numbers were exchanged, (“Gosh, better make some plans or we won’t see anyone for 8 weeks”) and suddenly everyone had time for visiting and going to the park on their relaxed summer schedules.

When autumn arrived, I certainly felt like the summer break had made a difference. There was a busy, exciting term ahead, a time to get stuck in. On the day our play group started again, I reflected that it was pretty much a year ago that I started going with Jon – my babe in arms. Back then it was all quite foreign, whereas this year, Jon and I felt very much at home. And it was good to be back.