I think the term 'cabin fever' harks back to the American wild west days when gold prospectors or hearty woodsmen were stuck in snow-bound cabins throughout an entire winter. This caused them to get jolly cross with each other, and also extremely upset with the world in general.
This Christmas/New Year season, I have cabin fever. Fortunately, most of my neighbours and loved ones have departed for pastures anew over the holdiays, so I don't have anyone to truly vent my spleen on. But I like to think I am more refined than the prospectors and woodsmen. I wouldn't dream of axing my room-mate at midnight, or crawling out in my nightie into a snowdrift believing I'm on my way to Starbucks for a double-gin-sling-mocha-latte.
But our weather has been awful. When it hasn't been dull, it's been raining. I did try swimming in the rain last week, and it was quite invigorating. However, none of my beach friends were there, and passing motorists kept yelling out that I was 'mad'.
I've worked my way through practically every vampire and werewolf book the nice Kindle folk have begged me to buy. I may have to move on to - shudder! - books about cooking. Or gardening ...
I did get a couple of "Dexter" seasons out from the library. But after watching something like 16 Dexters on the trot, I could kill the guy myself.
Here in New Zealand, the holidays last about 12 days. And I've only made it to the beach for a lively chatter/bask/leisurely swim for one of them. The holidays unofficially finish today (Sunday 5 Jan). Most people will be going back to work tomorrow.
And my ceiling is still leaking....
Here's a pic I took of a pohutakawa tree at Maraetotara reserve on Ohope Beach in December. Ah, is that what a blue sky looks like? - it's been so long, I've forgotten.
Maori legend has it that if pohutakawas flower before Christmas there will be a fine year ahead. As you can see this tree was well in flower. The pohutakawa tree is a protected native species
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