10 reasons to be glad summer is over

BRING ON WINTER: Roll on oranges and kiwifruit season. PHOTO/FILE

Summer is over. No more long, hot sunny days, fun at the lakes and barbecues with friends. As this weekend officially marks the end of what has been a cracker Rotorua summer, you might be feeling a bit glum. To help beat the blues, I've put together 10 reasons to be damn grateful it's no longer summer.

1. FLIES

The No.1 bummer about summer is flies. These critters are purely disgusting. They lay loads of eggs that turn to maggots. As they can only eat liquids they spit on their food and suck it back in. Foul. So let's look forward to being fly-free and not shelling out for automatic insecticide can refills and fly spray.

2. LAWNS

Much like flies, lawns are a pain in the proverbial in summer. No more watching your obsessive neighbours water and weed their lawns. You can also say goodbye to Sundays pushing the mower around or paying what seems like endless invoices to the lawn mower man.

3. WINTER WARMTH

You can't beat a log burner in winter. And if you are the obsessive green lawn type (see 2), now's your time to shine with your neatly stacked wood pile.

4. BARBECUES

Do we really like barbecues that much? By the time you fire it up, cart your cooking gear outside, cook your sausie, clean up, let the barbie cool and wipe down the plate, you could have grilled your sausage in the oven. There's also the awkward eating of tough steak on a paper plate when almost certainly your knife slips and you spill coleslaw all over your lap.

5. WINTER FRUIT

While we may think summer is great for berries and stone fruit, really it's just a season to burn a hole in your wallet. Prices for fruit skyrocket. Who doesn't stop off almost daily to buy from the Fenton St strawberry man or get sucked in at the supermarket with the "2 punnets for $5" deal? Winter is the season when oranges and kiwifruit shine. Bring on the vitamin C.

6. WINTER FOOD

Salads and fruit only cut it for so long. In winter you get to indulge in classic cosy grub like roasts, soups and slow cooker stews with mashed spud. My favourite winter soup is my Mum's pumpkin soup, chocka with chunks of bacon and garlic. Mmmm delish.

7. WINTER FASHION

So long short skimpy dresses and singlets revealing your flabby arms, winter is the time to cover up and still look gorgeous. The word on the street is this winter we are in for a new long leather boot fad that sees long lacy socks poking out the top. It looks cute. Can't wait.

8. TOGS

Let's face it, togs suck. Even the word sounds unattractive.Few of us look forward to flaunting our curves at the beach or lake in our togs. Time to pack them away and worry about it again in another nine months.

9. SUN

The sun is all well and good but really it's deadly. If you don't slip slop slap, you're risking your life. Sounds scary but it's true.

10. WINTER SPORT

What can I say, Cricket World Cup aside, New Zealand is an oval ball nation. Bring on the endless hours of Super 15, All Blacks and Kiwis' tests and Warriors matches. Welcome back Saturday morning sports with your little-lies and posting on Facebook when they win player of the day.

So I don't know about you but I'm looking forward to sitting in my fly-free house out of the sun in front of my fire watching the ruggers, eating some pumpkin soup and grilled sausages while feeling trendy and well covered by my saucy lacy long socks knowing I don't have to mow the lawns this weekend.

-Kelly Makiha is the Rotorua Daily Post deputy editor currently on maternity leave.