Ideas to do on a rainy day in January
From my desk which looks across the Mourne mountains, I can see the blurry lines of hilltops and forests through the drenched window panes. It is bucketing down. We had planned to walk to the beach. I check the weather app on my phone and there is no gap any time soon. It is that juxtaposition of allure and horror. I dislike the rain as much as any other decent human being, yet when the climate where you live defines itself as mild and moist, and Wikipedia says that it rains 42% of the days of the year, (not evenly spread either - a preposterous amount in December and January), sometimes you just have to embrace it.
Or buy better clothes. Or a bigger umbrella.
However, just recently, my friend Annmarie and I put on our wet weather clothes and braved the walk. In my mind, it was just “wet air”. Yet we arrved back from our 5 kms wet to our vests. So wet that we had to skip cups of tea in favour of hot baths in our respective houses. And I missed out on a particularly good slice of cake.
Yet here I am regaling with tales of soakings. Too much talk of the wet from the sky: Oscar Wilde said “Conversation about the weather is the last refuge of the unimaginative.”
So I have complied a list of the best things to do on a rainy day in January.
Eat fruit cake and sip on port from a nice crystal glass as you ponder over a 1000 piece puzzle that you received for Christmas. The best puzzles are those from Ravensburger and you can sometimes purchase them 3 for the price of 2 in bookshops at this time of year. With a kitten in the house, we also had to discover how to protect the construction from excited, prying paws. Welcome the Portapuzzle, an entirely useful creation.
Learn how to make hand rolled sushi. When you have time on your hands that would otherwise have been spent in the great outdoors, you could instead, take time to massage raw rice and later fan cooked rice until it cools? Slice vegetables into batons, toast sesame seeds, prepare teriyaki marinated chicken and salmon, cook omelettes, lay out little dishes for wasabi, pickled ginger and soy. Cut nori sheets in half and sit cross legged around a low table on floor cushions and roll up rice with your own filling combinations.
Discover the exciting indoor world of rock climbing. If you haven’t tried this before, it is a challenge for the mind and body. At our local climbing wall, you can hire an instructor for a hour or two, to keep you safe and guide you up various ascents. Punctuate gnarly (your new favourite word) next-level climbs with granola bars and green tea to keep your energy levels up. It could just be your next hobby, rain regardless.
In the spirit of indulgence in your health and wellbeing, book a massage and luxuriate in the surroundings and sheer relaxation. Keep the restful pace for the rest of the day to allow your muscles to appreciate the care. Light a candle as you cook dinner and play some soothing classical music.