Nothing but blue skies, from now on

Winter draws on!

So, with the clocks going back it is both dark in the mornings when I get up and also when I leave the office in the evening. Lovely. The traditional excuse given for making this change is so that Scottish cows won't have to be milked in the dark. How does that work exactly? Do the cows watch the clock and not notice that they've had to wait an extra hour to be milked? Couldn't they just put up a few lights in the milking parlour, or are they still relying on milk maids with those wooden bucket holding things and a couple of candles?

Anyhoo, my escape this year is going to be a blast of light and some time in Animal Crossing where it is still light at six in the evening. Faroon asked me what the appeal was and I was thinking about it this morning on the way into work. Animal Crossing is like going on holiday to a favourite destination that you've been to for several years on the run. You know what to expect, there's no pressure to do anything that you don't want to do and you can just potter around talking to animals if you so wish. It's a very relaxing experience all told. I've got a house right on the beach in this town, so I can mooch along the shore listening to the surf and collecting shells, and maybe catching the odd fish or too. I've already added a ray and an octopus to the aquarium in the museum. Which is nice.

Don't get me wrong - I still enjoy the visceral thrills of xbox gaming and no doubt I'll be gaying it up with Gay Tony in Liberty City when it is released on Thursday this week, but Animal Crossing is like a comfy pair of slippers and a chair by the fire - it's like coming home.