While the subject of weather often seems to be merely a stop gap for conversational deficiency, it is looming large in my life at the moment. The never-ceasing rain the country is experiencing at the moment appears to be a little over the top for the season.

Last week’s extraordinary downpour coincided with my weekly dreaded mad dash to the radio station, filling me, quite frankly, with deep trepidation and downright fear. Roads were flooded, people were soaked and cars were behaving badly. Even after taking a preventive dose of rescue remedy, I still couldn’t help but imagine no end of horrific accidents and brake failures.

Just under an hour later, I arrived quite shaken and already dreading the journey home along streets awash with the detritus of overflowing storm water drains and accidents.

Now, almost a week later, the rain still hasn’t ceased. Every so often the sky brightens a little and my heart jumps with the hope of a stray sunbeam managing to struggle through the violent cloud cover, but no such luck.

All this rain renders me less able to think or work effectively; I find myself staring out the window at errant raindrops and contemplating my existence, my eyes always seem to be drooping and my concentration on just about any task wavering.

My mind keeps brining up images of a fireplace encased in a cosy cottage with a good bottle of red nearby. If I was holidaying in a cabin in a forest, I may feel differently. A brisk walk through a gently dripping landscape with the sweet smell of decaying plant matter softening my footsteps is electrifyingly energising.

What is it about the framework of weather? In a work setting, the rain exhausts me, but within the context of relaxation and holiday, it’s energising. Perhaps a perfect summer’s day would have the same effect – after all who wants to waste the shifting moods of nature on mere work?

I’m going to abandon my computer for a while and sit quietly at the edge of the storm inhaling nature’s breath, while I listen to one of my all time favourite songs (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VrbgbL-iIOY&feature=kp). I hope to be inspired by the extraordinary creativity of the earth’s subtle shifts and the perfect simplicity of this Uriah Heep classic.