Tag: summertime

holidays

Reading In July

nhpureandsimple

Well… I wish I could say I finished the book I started reading at the first of July, but I didn’t. 

People say you can read more during the summer holidays, 

but things went totally the opposite for me.

July was my least supportive month for reading.

It was a busy, buzzy month.

Still, my hopes were high, so high that I downloaded two books on Kindle.

I imagined that during the long flight to Malaysia, I would finish both books.

I even thought I would download and read more.

My plan vanished into thin air the moment I fastened my seatbelt on the plane.

Our outward and return flights were both early morning, too early to think of anything except falling asleep.

And then, we arrived full of enthusiasm, couldn’t wait to start our new adventure.

I set my book aside, promising to pick it up before going to bed.

But then, at bedtime, I felt not only tired but awfully drained.

‘Tomorrow at breakfast, I will do some reading,’ I promised my book.

The poor book trapped on Kindle app, sighed and moaned and shed a few tears.

The following day, I woke up late, missed my breakfast, and rushed to get ready to explore more of the city with my family.

‘I broke my promise,’ I remembered and vowed to grab a few moments for reading at any time during the day.

The same routine, with the same unfulfilled promises, repeated day after day. 

Then one day, I woke up with a sore throat, really sore, and blocked ears and nose. 

‘Relax today,’ I decided, and grabbed my iPad to clear the air with my poor book.

The book tittered and muttered as I ruffled through the pages, looking for the page I stopped at.

I had no energy to argue or fight or make peace.

I escaped from the kindle app to WordPress.

Sipping my lemon tea, I wrote a few posts. Two or three? I’ll check the accurate number later.

So even if my reading was poor in July, writing came to the rescue of productivity by adding a few writing pieces during the holiday month.

With July-holidays-thoughts,

Nahla 

holidays

Jet Lag, Humidity, and Writing

nhpureandsimple

A flight with almost fourteen hours and a three hours transit, is not easy at all.

If you’re accustomed to these long… really long flights, then you really deserve an award for endurance.

I think I deserve two, since this is my first holiday with such a long journey.

Perhaps I deserve three, since this flight also comes with a big time difference.

Three or two hours difference wouldn’t be such a big deal.

But… wait, 1,2,3,4,5,6, 7 hours make a significant difference.

Time suddenly feels as if it’s going in opposite directions.

In the morning, you drag yourself out of bed, your eyes so heavy that you fall asleep again everywhere, at any moment. 

At night, you feel wide awake, and surprisingly hungry and ready for outdoor activities.

Breakfast time becomes dinner time and dinner becomes breakfast.

The sun that plays tricks on you in the Uk is now punctual, serious, and happy.

How happy?

So happy that she’s laughing all the time, watching people out and about in sunglasses, hats, and face fans; all enjoying her majesty’s presence. 

Rain visits often but, lightly so far, as if trying to lighten the mood.

Unfortunately, the mood refuses to be lightened because of humidity.

And humidity is that heavy, sweaty, stick neighbour no one likes.

And finally, after those first confused, steamy, lazy days, a gentle nudge of writing arrived, with a smooth landing, to save these funny moments in this post.

With July-holidays-thoughts,

Nahla

Just writing

The Longest Day of the Year

nhpureandsimple

Well… that was yesterday.

Honestly, I didn’t really notice the difference nor did I try to register the moment.

Over the last few days, the day wasn’t only long, it was also hot; too hot to care about the addition of a few more minutes.

The Uk sun has no equivalent, even the Egyptian sun would shy away before it. 

Really, this English sun goes straight into your eyes, and you can’t escape it.

It feels so close, like your shadow following you everywhere.

And these days, it likes to linger until ten pm.

This cheeky yellow-orange sun hangs in the sky and smiles at you as if to say, it’s still too early to go to bed.

‘But it’s almost ten,’ you moan, wanting so much to push it down.

Instead, you yawn, rub your eyes, and yawn again.

And then, you start scrolling online.

Everyone is talking about the heat, turning it into a heatwave with warnings and precautions. 

And people start complaining.

Why?

Because it is so hot. 

But we have been crying our eyes out because of the long winter and the cold spring. 

We have been longing for some warmth and some sunshine.

Yes, the sun has been more generous, but it’s finally summertime, with its short nights, long days, and this memorable longest day which I barely noticed.

With summertime thoughts,

Nahla

Just writing

Winter in April

nhpureandsimple

It’s April, and how it arrived so quickly, I’ve no idea.

But according to the calendar: it’s officially the first of April.

But why are you stretching the heavy blanket of winter?

You’re supposed to bring spring with its warm sun, blue sky, and colourful flowers.

Up to this very moment, it’s freezing cold here,

and rainy,

and the only colourful flowers are the ones in the supermarkets.

Not only that, you’re bringing along news of an unexpected guest: the wind.

She’s planning a short stay for two days soon, I heard.

Honestly, earlier that day, I thought it might be one of your fool tricks.

But no — it wasn’t.

You’ve just announced, clear and clean, that winter’s mood is still on.

But March announced that the summertime is already here, 

with a promise of long, bright days.

What’s wrong this year?

If you had a fight with long March,

or if you’re simply confused by the chaos in the world,

please don’t make us scapegoats for others’ madness.

Anyway, welcome April—

and thank you for the spark of sun that shone just as I finished this post.

Is this a promise of new hope.

Please be kind.

With kind and hopeful thoughts, 

Nahla