BLOG By Andrea McVeigh

IT'S official. I hate winter. On my reckoning, it has already lasted for around 36 months this year, and I've had enough. I hate everything about it. I hate the rain and the cold weather, the rain, feeling cold, the grey skies, dark nights and the rain. I really, really hate the rain. What's worse, I hate it when people say they love winter. As soon as August eases into September, they start rhapsodising about wrapping up warm in woolly jumpers, knitted scarves, hats, boots and proper coats. Smothered in around 40 layers of hot, itchy clothing everytime I leave the house, I look and feel less like Julie Christie in Doctor Zhivago and more like the Michelin Man. Roll on summer!

The only good(ish) thing about dark nights is going to the cinema. There's something very weird about going to the flicks in summer, then, after a couple of hours of being thrilled in the dark, emerging into bright sunshine. It's just wrong. People should pour out of the cinema only in darkness. So far though, I've only managed to catch Sweeney Todd, which I liked apart from the singing and the gore, which pretty much sums up everything about the film. It was only around half-an-hour into it before I remembered that I don't like gory things or Steven Sondheim's music. I just never 'got' his dramatic, overblown style. I mean, imagine singing Sondheim-style in everyday life. "Have you put the bin out tonight?" "Yes, I have, yes I have, yes I have. I have, I have. The bin, the dark and terrible bin. Oh the bin. It is out."
So I sat with my hands over my eyes for most of it. Apart from that I thought it was really good, in a dark, almost cartoonish, way. Almost as cartoonish as Johnny Depp's singing style, which bears an uncanny similarity to David Bowie. I was waiting for him to break into The Laughing Gnome at any second.
With my outing to the pictures not exactly a huge success, I really looked forward to Ashes To Ashes, the follow up to Life on Mars, starting on BBC1. I loved DCI Gene Hunt (actor Philip Glenister) on Life on Mars and Ashes To Ashes didn’t disappoint. Set in 1981, the music and fashion was fabulous and, even though I'd hate to live with the sexist, racist, bullying cop in real life, on TV he's my new hero. I'm not answering the phone, replying to texts or even talking to the hubby when next week's episode is on. During the opening show I sat glued to the screen, dreaming of careering around corners and doing high-speed handbrake turns in Hunt's Audi Quattro with him. A girl can dream, can’t she?

One thing I must do before the winter is out is go up on the Big Wheel at Belfast's City Hall, or the Belfast Aye as it's been dubbed. One of the many things I love about Belfast is the irrepressible humour of us locals and our ability to bestow a nickname on just about anything. In addition to the Belfast Aye, I've also heard it called the 'Ball at the Hall', the 'polo mint' and 'the big ring thing'. They're all definitely much funnier than just calling it the Belfast Wheel. I love the way you can see it peeking above the skyline when you're driving around the city and I hope they keep it there permanently. It's great for tourists and great for the people of Northern Ireland. I've been on the London Eye and the big wheel in Manchester city centre but, naturally, once there's one on my very doorstep, I put off going. People tell me the best way to try it is to go at night so you can see the city all lit up. If I could get Gene Hunt in one with me I'd be there like a shot!