Winds of January

Posted on

by Arundhati Basu

When I woke up this morning, the temperatures outside (the real feel of it that is) read -25°C. I could hear the wind howling outside as I went about my workout in the rooftop gym, watching bony trees toss their heads around. Yet it looks so charming outside. The soft sun lighting up the park, touching upon grey wrinkled barks and casting long shadows into the afternoon, the shimmering blue waters of the Hudson that are clearly visible every winter… it could almost lull you into thinking of it as a beautiful spring day. Almost. Till you look down and notice the man at the bus stop cowering in his jacket and balaclava, battered by rushes of winds. Then you wonder, should you head out for a long walk by the river? The winds are exceptionally strong after all. Yesterday evening on my walk past the river, on the way to the grocery store, they shoved me all along till I reached home.

It has been some time now that a new year has arrived, yet it is a struggle to slip into the routine of January. There are degrees of reluctance at my end. I hate letting go of the year that has been quite so easily. I do wonder about the kind of ends and beginnings you all have had. Has it been a mix of the good, the middling and the not so good? The arrival of another year does tend to make one reflective.

I have a fistful to reflect about, having arrived home from our travels in the second week of this month. There have been some new experiences and repeats of others in the meanwhile. Paris, Strasbourg, Colmar, Delhi, Calcutta…along with a first-time experience of flying the Etihad Apartment. I will go about them all at my usual unhurried pace, but before starting with my travel posts, I wanted to drop in and say, hello my lovelies.

 

Published by

Arundhati Basu

The great affair in my life is to travel. I count myself immensely fortunate that my partner shares this passion. We are a team that likes to spend time planning and plotting out places to go. Destination check, flights check, accommodation check, cheesy grins check. Off we go.

54 thoughts on “Winds of January”

    1. Hiya Jim, I shall. I bet it is none too warm at your end. Looking forward to the results of your pastry-making sessions with the new arrival. 🙂

      Like

  2. Hello, my lovelies, immediately reminded me of a line from the Wizard of OZ. And then another line, “There’s no place like home”.
    Welcome back, Dotty.

    Like

  3. That’s cold and here’s me complaining about daytime temperatures of +8C! Welcome back, happy New Year. I’m looking forward to hearing about your travels.

    Like

    1. Thank you Sheree. 🙂 We are allowed some carping no matter what. I have to confess I had not experienced -25 till now, so it is novel for me too.

      Like

  5. Happy New Year Lovely!
    Oh it sounds so bitter cold and I admire you for making it to the gym! That takes dedication especially in the midst of a frozen, windy, winter. 2018 had a dramatic ending for me. I was wrapping up the end of my quarter in my home town when my bf and I broke up for one week. I think the distance (he was in Maine and I was in Washington state for almost 3 months was difficult and northern Maine is isolating when you are alone.) I thought that would be the end, but he flew to WA and we were able to work things out and move forward. We found renters for the ME house and decided to spend the rest of the winter in a warmer place. This month we moved to Arizona and it has been beautiful, but I noticed I was feeling a little sad and even depressed. I think it came from missing the familiarity of home. I set goals for each month and in the first half of January it felt like I was doing the opposite of my goals, but last week I started getting back into a routine and it has made all the difference in the world. I hope you are enjoying your New Year so far!!!

    ❤ Alana

    Like

    1. Thank you Alana. I am enjoying the year though I do find January a tad bit dull. It is difficult to let go of Christmas so soon. As for my fitness routine, without it I would feel lost. Such a feel-good part of life for me.

      Now to come to the story of you. That certainly is a whopper of a beginning to the year. You will certainly remember the end of 2018 and the beginning of 2019 with bittersweet emotions. I am so glad to read that the story has a happy turnaround.

      A new place would be challenging for both of you to cope with, but the great thing is that you can cleave to each other while settling into your new home. Arizona is so beautiful. Let’s hope it woos both of you.

      Chin up, my girl. xx

      Like

      1. Thank you Dippy Dotty Girl!
        I agree, exercise and an active lifestyle really contributes to overall quality of life.
        I am loving AZ so far and this experience is bringing us closer together.
        It is always a joy to catch up with you and thank you for your kind and encouraging words!

        ❤ Alana

        Like

  6. Oh my god! -25°C? All i can say is STAY WARM!

    I am having troubles with letting go 2018 as well, even though the year started on a scary note it did have a good ending!

    Looking forward to hearing from you about all your travels!

    Like

    1. Thank you! It is a polar vortex, I believe.

      When you mention about the way 2018 ended, you have me curious. If it is not too nosey, how did it start on a scary note for you? Of course at this point you can ask me to butt out and I shall. 🙂

      Like

      2. I just read your blog post and the January of last year clearly started on a dismal note for you. Hope this year has started on a much promising note.

        Like

  7. We had -29 this morning. Brutal. I called my folks back in Australia and it was 33C. That’s almost inverse but strangely I prefer to snuggle under a blanket than not be able to sleep in the Queensland humidity.

    Like

    1. I am one with you there. I might be a child of the tropics but I would rather have winter than the peak of summer too. Cheers.

      Like

  9. That’s an exciting travel list! I can wait 🙂 🙂 Good/bad/different- that’s my year so far. (I fell on my backside yesterday and am sitting very gingerly on a cushion as I type this- and watching tennis 🙂 ) Out walking soon, with due care and diligence…

    Like

    1. Thank you Jo. It was so much packed into a month that now January is a bit bland.
      The past year has delivered what you wanted though, no? I think that at the end that is what matters.
      Due care and diligence 🙂 I think it is sometimes missing from my dictionary. Like you, I fell on mine too a few days ago. From the top of the kitchen counter to the floor because the stool which I reached out for, slipped. If that was not enough, I sliced my fingers too on consecutive days because I was so excited about using some new knives. All in all, we are sorted for an exciting start to the year. 😉

      Like

      1. Bum less sore today. 🙂 🙂 Hope the fingers are ok. And yes- we are where we set out to be though it doesn’t always go to plan. Where would be the fun in that? 🙂 Take care!

        Like

      2. Good work! Ah the fingers are healing. Adi was threatening me with stitches and I have never had those. That itself made them better.

        It sounds like you have a story or more there. Have I missed out on much while I was away? xx

        Like

    1. Hey girl, thank you. The last time I experienced anything remotely freezing was Budapest. This tops it! Hope you have been having a good January so far. xx

      Like

    1. Neek, it has been so long. Hope your year has started on a good note. Thank you for the appreciation. I want more snow. 😀 And my parents and brother would say the same as you. They cannot abide the cold.

      What is happening with you both? xx

      Like

      1. I’m so glad to hear that you are doing well! I can’t wait to hear about your travel adventures. We’re doing fine and hoping to be more productive this spring. We’re such procrastinators 😉 Take care – Neek

        Like

  12. New years do tend you make you reflective! And birthdays 😊 And mine is on early February so Jan-Feb are heavy reflecting months for me and the cold weather just adds to that. I admire your spirit of going to the gym even in the dead of winter! I feel too lazy and drained by the end of the day. Can’t wait for spring!!

    Like

    1. You are a February baby, ah. What are you doing to celebrate it? The cold weather must make it a cosy affair. 🙂 Listen, if I did not go for a workout, I would feel not me. But then I am an odd bird.

      Have a lovely day, girlie. xx

      Like

  13. “touching upon grey wrinkled barks and casting long shadows into the afternoon,” – so evocative, Dippy Dotty Girl! And I feel so badly for you, standing in the snow, all covered up. It makes me feel better about our (relatively) mild temperatures, no snow. Have a fun day!

    Like

    1. Hey Theresa, thank you. 🙂 I am all good. The more the snow the better. In fact that I think we were robbed of more snow after the one Friday! Hope you have a lovely rest of the week. xx

      Like

  14. I love the clear crisp days at this time of the year. The soft light can be beautiful. Maybe because it is 25C warmer here, it’s easier to appreciate 😜

    Like

    1. Tee hee hee.

      Never remind me that I miss that soft light on the other side of the pond. I do, like all the time. :-/

      Like

    1. Thanks Tracey…I missed you too. And it felt grand to be back and find you in yet another location. xx

      Like

Leave a comment