There's no such thing as bad weather, only unsuitable clothing
Alfred Wainwright
Wainwright's right. And once the clothing is sorted, there's no reason not to make the best use of a soggy spell, whether you decide to delight in the drizzle or stay warm and dry.
If you're a pluviophile - a person who finds joy in rainy days - you might enjoy our Grey Sky Thinking feature on page 38 of November's The Simple Things: have a read for ideas to create a dream rainy day on the sofa (complete with snacks, entertainment and warm socks); ways to bring nature inside; how to fix and finish those niggly jobs; and easy crafternoon ideas.
Meanwhile, this wet weather trivia should make you smile whatever the weather.
Umbrella: The brolly is a pretty ancient device, and in primitive times would have been an improvised transportable shelter of leafy branches. According to Chinese legend, however, the earliest umbrella can be dated back to 2000BC, when it would have been a mark of rank.
Sou'wester: This collapsible waterproof hat designed to repel wind and rain and beloved by seamen was originally worn by New England fishermen in the 19th century who donned oiled clothing to stay dry. Its name is an appreciation of 'southwester', describing quite literally a strong wind blowing from the south west.
Wellington boots: These British icons were first loved by Georgian patriots, rakes and dandies in the early 19th century after the Duke of Wellington instructed his boot maker to cut his boots below the knee to make them more comfortable with the newly fashionable trouser. But they were first officially called 'Wellingtons' when a Scottish manufacturer began producing them in rubber rather than the original calfskin.
Cagoule: This foldaway lightweight waterproof coat was first invented by the aptly named Peter Storm and launched in the UK in the 1960s. The word has French origin and comes from 'cowl', meaning a long hooded garment.
Name your rain
There's no surprise we Brits have so many different words for rain. Here are four regional favourites:
Plothering: When it's 'plottering' in the Midlands you're going to have to make a dash for it, because there's no escaping these big fat vertical rain drops that are hammering down.
Siling: If it's doing this in the North East, prepare to get soaked.
Letty: The kind of weather that South West famers hate, since it's 'just too blooming letty' to work outside.
Mochy: If a Scot or an Irishman says the weather is mochy it's going to be exactly how it sounds - wet, damp and misty. Brr...
Read more:
Fancy sea salt hot chocolate, cinder toffee and firepit cakes, a celebration of toast plus ways to tell a good story around the fire, subversive cross stitch and how to keep your herbs going over winter? Oh and bibliotherapy, crafternoons and a poem about beautiful librarians.
All this in our November COMFORT issue. You'll find us in even more Waitrose and Sainsbury's stores this month plus WH Smiths, Tesco and good independents. We're on sale now somewhere near you.
November's The Simple Things is out now - buy, download or subscribe.