Rain, rain, go away

We Brits are obsessed with the weather. It’s a cliché that would be tiring, were it not for the fact that the summer sky has been as grey as a heron’s back and there have been seemingly non-stop flood warnings across the country. They even used a roof at Wimbledon, though maybe that was to stop Cliff Richard singing, we can’t be sure. But with the rain we’ve had, it's hard not to be obsessed with it.
For most people, the rain is an inconvenience; picnic plans are cancelled, summer fun is moved inside and it gives us something to moan about. But for others, this weather has been disastrous - homes and businesses have been flooded; agricultural shows and other outdoor events have been cancelled, in some cases threatening people’s livelihoods and the future of the events; and wildlife has been hit hard, too.
Of course, when (or should that be if?) it does come out, we Brits go mad for the sun. In southern Europe, they take it for granted, but here, as soon as the rain clears and the temperature barely threatens 20°C, it’s the law to get the barbecue out and put shorts on. Indeed, we get so carried away, that many people still wear shorts long after the sun has gone, when it’s raining hard again. Their legs may be freezing, but at least they’ve got hope.
We put up with the freezing winters and sodden autumns because we know that a few precious days (or weeks, would be nice) of summer sun make it all worth it. The same is true of tourism businesses - many places all but shut down in winter and then make enough money in summer to make up for the lean periods. But if the sun doesn’t show, less people will spend money in seaside towns and businesses will suffer.
So perhaps we should all do our bit for British tourism and holiday here, despite the weather. That’s what I’m doing – I say stuff the rain! My family and I are going to Devon in August and we’re packing the waterproofs (and the shorts - a bit of positive thinking doesn’t go amiss). I am planning to do a week of sun charming dances and waving my fist at the sky in the hope that the sun will shine for the week we’re there, but if that doesn’t work, there are still beaches, rockpools and seaside towns to explore, and plenty of fun to be had. As you well know from the pages of Countryfile Magazine and from getting out there and enjoying it, the British countryside is beautiful. So we’re going to enjoy ourselves whatever the weather. And if that means ice-creams in torrential rain, so be it - it’s the British way.