quicko: it's begininning to feel a lot like christmas!

It's funny these days -- it's been relatively gloomy and overcast, and Sydneysiders are, once again, beside themselves.

"Oh, this horrible weather!" they cry.  "This is not SUMMER!"

(They are so distressed, in fact, they cannot determine which word requires the most emphasis, which leads it all to come out as a rather mangled moan of despair quite in keeping with their general attitude.)

They claim that it's never felt less like Christmas in their lives because Christmas, everyone knows, is supposed to be sunny!  And hot!  And bright!  And beach-y!

Everyone is supposed to be scorching hot and sweltering in the sun barely able to move enough to re-apply the sunscreen for it to be summer.

It has been raining a bit lately, which is patently not (or is not?) Christmas weather.

I, on the other hand, have been delighted.  I've been feeling a bit on the homesick side, and there's nothing like a cloudy sky to make me think snow flurries and sleighs and jingle bells and -- gosh, I find myself thinking of Christmas, how jolly!

Shh, don't tell the Australians!