The Dry season needs dedicated ‘do nothing’ weekends

YES, I’m whingeing, but there’s just too much happening in the dry season, writes PHILLIPPA BUTT

You might get a bit of mango madness in the Build-Up, like Narrows resident Matthew Burnham did, but at least you get a break from all the socialising of the Dry. Picture: KERI MEGELUS

I RECKON I’m just about ready to say it.

Bring on the Build-Up.

I know, I know. Controversial.

But I need a break. There’s just too much happening.

I don’t remember the last time I spent the weekend pottering around doing very little. The last time I got to bed by 9pm.

My washing basket is overflowing. My meal prepping is severely underplanned.

And I know there’s a very simple reason for this hectic-ness. And know I should be grateful.

But I’m tired of the dry season.

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Or let me say that more accurately. I’m tired of the busyness of the dry season.

In the past month I’ve partied at three birthdays, spent two weekends camping, lit fireworks, warmed a house, attended two racedays, celebrated a friend’s new job, hosted family and had dinner with friends’ families.

I’ve run close to 60km, gone out for lunch multiple times and eaten more Mindil markets dinners than I can count.

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Don’t get me wrong, these are all fantastic things that I’ve really enjoyed doing.

And, looking back, I probably wouldn’t say no to any of them if I had my time again.

But it’s just about time for a break.

By now you’re probably thinking, ‘geez, what a whinger’.

And you’d be right. I know the second the Build-up actually gets here I’ll be rueing the day I ever suggested I wanted it back.

But right now, with not a spare minute to myself, I’m just about ready to put up with it.

And I don’t think I’m the only one suffering from this social fatigue.

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In the last three weeks, at least four people in our office have had family in town.

I’m pretty sure our big bosses are around within the next two weeks.

Others have had friends come up, weekend after weekend.

I get it. I used to live in Melbourne. Like all the interstaters who are here at the moment, I know what it’s like to be desperate to escape winter.

And I do love the company of the friends and family who visit.

I love that they do visit, compared to those of my Southern friends who are “definitely keen for a visit” but somehow never arrive.

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But surely these interstaters could time it better so we’re not inundated with many within the same month.

Surely we could work out a way to spread out the social events and give everyone a little bit of a break?

But it’s not going to happen.

This weekend it’s the Darwin Show. Next weekend it’s the Darwin Cup.

And pretty soon after that, the Darwin Festival starts up with show after show for about a month.

Hectic.

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So I’m starting to look forward to the Build-Up, when things calm down and the most movement you do is getting out of the pool to grab a snack.

But perhaps there’s an alternative? Maybe, next year, we should band together as a Territory and say no to events every weekend.

The long weekends for Picnic Day and Darwin Cup Day are always next to each other.

But maybe we could push the Darwin Festival a week and designate the weekend between to be the ‘do nothing’ weekend for all Territorians.

It’d probably prevent a bit of burnout. And we’d all enjoy the Dry that little bit more.