Well, it looks like rainy season is almost upon us yet again. Definitely not my favourite thing about living in Japan! Although perhaps I should be used to rain, as my hometown, Manchester, has a reputation as the rainiest city in the UK. The grey skies and drizzly rain in Manchester are completely different to the torrential sudden downpours in Japan though!
I think I look back at summer in England with slightly rose-tinted glasses…I remember beautiful sunny days and clear blue skies, but in reality the weather in the photo above is more typical of British weather. Overcast skies and lots of rain and puddles! One great thing about British summers, though, is the long evenings – it stays light outside until 10 or 11 o’clock at night at the height of summer. I suppose there is a downside to this though – in winter, it starts to go dark at 3 or 4pm. Perhaps if I compare it to the dark, overcast, drizzly winter in England…hot, humid, downpour-filled rainy season in Japan isn’t so bad after all!
Definitions
Almost upon us - Is here/arriving very soon. Used for events/seasons, not people!
Used to – Accustomed to. Very useful expression – eg. I didn’t like natto at first, but now I’m used to it.
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/used+to
Has a reputation as – Is famous for/well known for being like something
Drizzly - Drizzle means to rain gently. Drizzly is the adjective of drizzle.
Torrential – When used to describe rain it means very strong or heavy
Sudden downpour – A quick rainstorm. I often hear Japanese people say ’squall’ which has the same meaning, but I’d never used this word before I came to Japan!
Rose-tinted glasses – To look at something through ‘rose-tinted glasses’ means to see it in a too positive way
http://www.allwords.com/word-look%20through%20rose-tinted%20glasses.html
Overcast skies – Grey sky which is completely clouds, with no blue. Very typical in my hometown unfortunately!
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/overcast
Puddle - Small pool of rainwater
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/puddle
The height of summer – The middle of summer
June 10, 2007 at 2:36 pm
i like the expression of rose-tinted-glasses. i’ll use it in voice!
i tend to see Bono with rose-tinted-glasses.
June 14, 2007 at 2:46 pm
i learned England’s weather have made British character. Drizzly rains make me heal.
but i really like torrential sudden downpours. i used to be excited to take my father’s umbrella in sudden downpour ,espeially thunder rumling when i was a child!
anyway now it is pain to go to office in the rainy days.