That Portland Oregon time of year

image taken from here.
When the rain has continued now for a solid 2 months. Pausing only occasionally for the soil to absorb all the wet. The grey skies flatten over us again and dumpety dumpety dump dump dump again over and over until

May.

As a Portlander and a Seattlite before that, this time of year is what makes any other time of year good. It doesn't have to get that cold because the perpetual moisture starts to penetrate the bones.

And people get SAD here. Seasonal Affective Disorder, that is, which I can never mention this without a smile. I mean really, it gets flippin SAD to get 6 hours of grey skies every day for 6 months. Who could blame a person?

So how does one cope? Well, if one has a stash, one leaves and goes where there is sun, or one goes skiing or does retail therapy. If you have a mini stash, then Goodwill is a very good bet at this time of year. But if one is without a stash, or has a very limited stash, then what?

Well, that I believe is where everyone here on the rainy coast earns their stripes. I can't say its just Portlanders, because Seattle is actually even more grey for longer than we are. It is simply our backdrop. Skeleton trees, grey skies, metal colored rivers and a cold wet wind. I don't have to see it, it is etched on my brain like snow is for a Russian.

Some of my favorite things I have done in crummy weather? A game at a coffee house, a poetry slam, breakfast on a mental health day, cooking, photography, coffee and a bagel and a bike ride when the rain stops followed by a hot shower. A hot cuppa, a warm snuggle and ohhh the naps. The mid afternoon naps are delicious. OMSI is made for a day like these, as is Powells and Roccos Pizza. Play Billie Holiday and clean your house, water your plants. Already done that a million times? Go to the sauna, go to the gym, jump in the indoor pool.

Just stay away from that dreaded SAD!