Before Summer’s End

After two solid days of doom and gloom, I know our days are numbered.

Though the late summer rain makes drum beats of the night, the morning doesn’t necessarily yield to Windhoek’s seemingly steadfast sunlight. Instead, the days dawn darker. Winter winks and school children, notorious for objecting to extra clothing, are now accepting jackets.

Soon we’ll be cursing the nights. The cold will be back like it never left and trips to the icy plains of a nighttime toilet will seem akin to a mission to Mordor. But it isn’t winter yet. April’s identity crisis may still offer some sunny days and I encourage you to thoroughly enjoy them before summer’s end.

So, head to water. Oceans, rivers and dams don’t disappear in the winter but there’s nothing like a warm day at a shore or the warmth of sun-kissed skin. You’ll miss them when you’re waiting one solid minute for tap water to heat up or for the shower to offer anything besides ice.

So, linger.

When winter comes, it’s always a rush to get out of the cold. Long, lazy outdoor events become a thing of legend and home is truly where the heart is. While the warm nights endure, be sure to stay out longer than you should.

Savour dessert on your favourite terrace. Invite your friends over for a moonlit braai and marvel at how balmy an evening can be. These are the memories that will sustain you when a hot water bottle becomes your dearest friend.

Meanwhile, catch one more live music event with your real ones. Gather the troops, put on some comfortable shoes and dance the night away under the stars. The artists and food industry workers will thank you.

For many, winter is a wasteland where the hustle gets even more real.

Diners swap eating out for ordering in. Patrons, partygoers and socialites generally tend to binge watch rather than brave the cold to attend an art opening or soiree.

So, relish it all while you feel inclined to do so. Support the restaurant industry and the arts now but also through the winter. You’ll want them in good shape when the sun comes out, your frozen soul thaws and the warm nights call.

Right now, I also encourage you to enjoy the bounty of the season. Indulge in what’s left of the harvest that defines the summer – watermelon, mangoes, avocadoes, grapes, pineapples and more – because winter is a thing of inflation and they’ll soon be out of reach.

One day, you’ll be walking down a grocery aisle, ready to buy fruit for your favourite smoothie and you’ll gasp at its winter price.

As for me, I’ll be doing all of the above, but I’ll also be doing some organising. My winter wardrobe is in a suitcase somewhere, smelling like 2025. At some point, I’ll need to drag it out of a closet or from under a bed. I’ll see what still works and what can be given away to a charity, to my sisters or kept as future vintage pieces for my young niece.

I’ll miss the summer, but winter has its charms. Granted, I can’t think of any at the moment. But everything has a bright side. Even summer’s end.

– martha@namibian.com.na; Martha Mukaiwa on Twitter and Instagram; marthamukaiwa.com

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