February

I love living in New England, I really do! I love the change of seasons and the beauty that each season brings to the earth and the sense of renewal that beauty brings to my soul. I'm not much of a winter person though. I'm not into winter sports and I'm definitely NOT into being cold! It seems the older I get, the colder I feel during the winter months. I remember walking into my parent's home when I was younger during the winter and after being there only a short time, getting the sense that I was suffocating because the heat was so high. I used to wonder how they could live like that but the older I get, the more I understand. My mom was a teeny little thing and didn't have much insulation on her body. My body certainly has plenty of insulation, but my hands, my feet and my nose are perpetually cold from about October through April. Unlike my dad, I also have a husband who keeps a very watchful eye on the thermostat in our house and doesn't hesitate to remind me about the cost of oil any time I make a move to adjust it. I love him, but we have our share of disagreements over this! He tends to run hot, I tend to run cold, and as he likes to suggest, putting on another sweater won't help my cold hands and cold nose!

I don't mind the first part of winter. I marvel at the first few snowfalls of the season just like everyone else. I love the winter holidays and all the family time they bring. I love the self evaluation and the quest for change that each new year brings with it. And this year, I especially loved that the world didn't come to an end in December and that all the hype about the end of the Mayan calendar was just that! I usually have retreat to look forward to at the end of January and that's always a wonderful time. Then comes February...

Dry air
Dry skin
Dry, fly away hair
Brittle nails
Sinus headaches
Sick children
Sick Adults
Bored children
Aggravated adults dealing with bored children
Gray skies
Dull, baron, brown landscapes
Darkness
Dirty cars
Cars not starting
More snow
Backaches from shoveling
Sleeping in layers of clothing
Hats and ear muffs
Mittens and gloves
Bulky coats and boots
Eating too much chocolate, or cheese, or whatever
COLD
COLD
COLD!

I know that March will come, which always brings with it the excitement that April is right around the corner, but when I start to feel like this, I'm reminded of something that our eldest son used to say quite often when he was a teenager. So to you February, I simply say...BITE ME!

xo,
Carrie