pre-winter

julian pigott



Despite the fact that we've had record-breaking highs in the 90s this week, the fact that Fall is here makes me a little sad.  Things are changing so fast.  And there's barely a "Fall" anyway...we have about two weeks of refreshingly Fall-ish weather, then it's on to Winter.  Ew.

Wait...technically, Theo was born in the Winter, if only by 2 weeks.  This is the fourth season of his life already.  Besides Theo's birthday being a part of it, I hate Winter and nearly everything about it.

To some people, Fall means comfy sweaters, cozy boots, and huddling over a bonfire with a hot toddy.  To me, Fall = Pre-Winter.  It means it won't be long until my purse is perpetually falling off of my shoulder because my bulky coat is too poofy to keep it in place.  It means itchy scarves and seeing my own breath.  It means slipping and sliding all over the road when I hit a patch of ice.  It means having to wear icky socks and shoes that tie up.  And don't forget about the toes that don't thaw out til mid-April.  It means back-breaking leaf-raking.  It means all of the color drains out of my world for 5 long, cold months as the leaves die and sadly float away from their branches.  The sky turns an ominous shade of gray that won't go away.  It means doing a delicate balancing act like an elephant on a tightrope down the long, icy driveway just to check the mail.  It means I lose my husband to the NFL Sunday Ticket on DirecTV for the next 5 months.  Don't forget about the sun setting at 5:30pm.  What could be worse than that?  I'm dreading having to bundle Theo up in God-knows-what to keep him warm.

Even though it's still Summer-hot here, I'm getting the Fall/Winter blues already.

The only good thing about Winter is when it's over, which you can easily detect by the little things.  They really are the highs of life for me.  Like the first flip-flop day.  The first daffodil I see.  The first windows-open/cleaning-while-listening-to-loud-music kind of day.  The first buds on the Bradford Pear trees and that horrible smell that comes with them.  Peeps.  Kids on Spring break.  The only good thing about Winter...is that it alway turns into Spring. 

And that is a real good thing.

~C~