Bug of the Day - February

(Okay so this should be, by definition, 'Bug of the Month', but I'm trying to establish my format here so let's just ignore that).

Before I start today's mega-whinge, I would like to state that I am pro-winter.  I love the opportunities it gives me to break out the scarves and gloves, layer on clothes, cosy up to the radiator and eat mounds of stodgy food.  What can I say? I'm British! I greet November every year with gleeful anticipation of the stews, hotpots, potatoes, pies, mulled wine, mini stollen bites, eggnog, snowballs and mince pies to come. And Bonfire Night - what's not to love about Bonfire Night?! December brings birthdays, Christmas and NYE (something to at least focus on through the short days even if you're not the biggest fan of those occasions).  January is full of good intentions and resolutions, the distraction of belt-tightening and optimistic exercise.

But February? February is an odious toad of a month - nothing but unmitigated, grinding drabness.  The weather is at best grey and freezing, at worst blizzardy or flood-ridden.  By the time February arrives all of the New Year's resolutions have been broken, everyone is confronting their own weakness in the face of temptation and we have all just HAD ENOUGH of winter. But there's still at least a month or two before the weather starts to warm up, plants start to stir or the sun rises for long enough for anyone to actually notice. 

As if all that wasn't enough, February also contains the most abhorrent holiday of all the fake greeting-card company created celebrations: Valentines Day.  It's not just that I'm a bitter spinster who is filled with jealousy at all those who are in love/yoked to another human being, I hate Valentines Day when I'm in a relationship too.  The pink, the hearts, the cheesy obligatory gifts of flowers, stuffed toys and chocolate, the forced coupleyness, ugh ugh UGH it's just vile!

So, February, frankly you suck.  In the more financially affluent years that I'm sure are just around the corner for me, I will definitely be taking some kind of sunshine-filled beach holiday in order to escape you.  In the meantime I am reduced to using Home and Away as my only source of Vitamin D.