The weather here in Oxfordshire has been fantastic the past few weeks. Itâs not like English weather at all, but a lot more like the California summers Iâve grown up with. The weather has been sunny and about 80 degrees Farrenheit. The other day while I was driving with the windows down in the car and the music blaring, it reminded me of taking long drives in the Statesâexcept that I was sitting on what should have been the passenger seat and driving in the lane that should have had oncoming traffic.
One of the things people ask me a lot (during small talk, of course) is if I miss the California weather. I do, but not so much. One thing Iâve found since moving here is that English people are a lot more concerned with the weather than people who grow up in California. The weather in San Diego was always nice, so there was never a need to chat about it. Sometimes it rained, but not so often. In England I can see why there is an obsession with weather. Itâs not that the weather is rainy all the time, itâs just that you get a lot of gray, bleak, days. When the weather is nice, you feel like you need to really enjoy it.
When itâs 80 degrees, people start to complain about the heat. Itâs too hot to do anything. Iâve lived in Texas for a few yearsânow that was heat. I worked at Sea World of Texas in San Antonio through the Summer where every day reached over 100 degrees. But after living in the UK for the past 12 years, this weather is too hot.
The past few winters have had record snowfall and it has nearly closed London. But itâs nothing compared to the times Iâve visited Minnesota in the winter. But the infrastructure here is not geared for extremes in weather. Most homes donât have air conditioning and most towns donât have many snow ploughs.
This weather will end soon, but Iâm enjoying it while it lasts. As I write this, Iâm sitting on a blanket in a part watching my kids play in park sprinklers. Life couldnât be better.