The weather...

As I’m sure the regular readers of this blog can appreciate and also those who have scrolled down the numerous categories noticing how many blog posts go up each month; you’ll understand that finding a topic which is interesting to not only write about but that readers will enjoy, is difficult. Every week I take my hat off to those journalists who come up with new columns in their daily papers to discuss to their avid fans.

But trials and tribulations aside, every week we too produce two blog posts and every week we have a steady number of lovely readers. So a big and grateful THANK YOU goes out to you all. I may sit in front of my computer pondering nearly every week about what we could discuss, but every time a topic always comes to mind, and it’s a pleasant relief that you find them interesting.

So to this weeks post; I thought I’d talk about the weather! Well, we’re British, and what else should you talk about when you can’t think of anything to say? No, that’s not true, I’m teasing you. I am choosing to talk about the weather because at the end of last week I tore myself away from our beautiful Cornish countryside and sat on a 5-hour train journey to our infamous capital, London. I once lived in London, and I often visit, but I soon realised that my last visit was too long in the past, as my country life took a little longer than usual to adapt to the components of walking around central London. And I was only visiting! So the topic of weather now, came about because I realise that my strangest sight when I first entered the London Underground Network, AKA “the tube” was the great number of people in Wellington boots. “Why on earth would commuters on the underground need such protective clothing?” I asked myself, and trying not to stare I pondered, “have I ever seen a pair of green wellies that clean before?” I didn’t realise that they could ever be anything other than covered in mud! And then the penny dropped; snow was forecast today. Londoners, you are nothing if you’re not prepared for every eventuality, and I salute you!

So, today I scour the weather forecast to see what the new month has in store for us. “Unsettled and changeable.” Hmmm, how on earth can you prepare for that!

Well, here goes…

On this brief trip to “the big smoke” I would judge that I was almost as equally prepared as my fellow commuters. Ok, so I may have been wearing a summer’s dress because I was there promoting the new spring collection that will soon be hitting our shelves - but at least that stopped me from over heating on the underground! Then when stepping out into the bitterly fresh air, I was kept beautifully warm with my sheepskin biker jacket. It’s extremely lightweight for sheepskin, so I found it very easy to carry around. You may instead prefer a waterproof number this next month, as apparently they’ll be plenty of wet spells coming in from the Atlantic. Damn that Atlantic, and thank goodness for the Drapey Trench!

And next? Why those wellies of course!

I am the very proud owner of Celtic Sheepskin’s Gum Boots, and although I may not have thought to bring them to London, they could have easily held their own on the city streets as much as they do in the countryside (looking back I think that mine may have too much mud on them for city walking!). And as for our sheepskin lined walking boots; with the BBC forecasting snow in the north I think sheepskin-lined boots are certainly one for the essentials list!

Then there’s the essential hat…

Back in Cornwall by Sunday, I had the delight of standing outside in the still very cold air, but at least we had glorious sunshine. I was standing at a local ruby match, pleased that I had chosen to wear a hat, but wishing I’d picked up a peaked version rather than a beanie. With changeable weather, sunshine is also forecast this month and I know that sunglasses are extremely trendy, but I can’t help feeling stupid if I wear the combination of a winter hat and a pair of sunnies, and shielding my eyes from the sun with my hand soon got very tiring. So for me the peaked Baker Boy is perfect. Perhaps for those of you who disagree and enjoy all the drama that goes with wearing sunglasses in the cold, may I recommend the “cool” cashmere mesh beret? It really is beautiful.

Which leads me nicely to the cherry, the “it” bag….

OK, so they’re not Mulberry or Prada; but the price tag is significantly less too! With the “changeable” weather and the clear need to be prepared this month, I propose you keep a big bag with you at all times. You’ll need to stuff in that hat in case the heavens open or put away your lightweight coat if the sun begins to shine. Both the Breton and Penn bags will definitely assist you in your weather challenges.

May you enjoy every moment, wherever you find yourself this February.