It was raining in Manchester today, quite heavily.
People were spotted using umbrellas, jumping puddles, huddling in doorways, and waiting impatiently for buses, trams, and trains.
One man was spotted hustling a posse of children into a branch of Jock Donald's, while another was sighted holding a folded newspaper above his head.
As rain clouds scudded overhead and the city settled into a damp grey fugue, the local citizenry remained defiant, no matter the meteorological circumstances.
It became clear to this reporter that Mancunians, although they may not relish the prospect of almost constant rain, have learned to live with it.
It remains a fact that whilst the vast majority of Mancunians retain a profound sense of pride in their city, they also at times wish they were somewhere else.
Somewhere sunnier.
