Tuesday, January 22, 2008

Wintertime Is Not My Favorite Time

I think that January and February are my least favorite months. It is always about this time of year, mid January, that I find myself with a bit of the wintertime blues.

The anticipation and excitement of the Holidays are over, the novelty of the New Year is wearing off, and Spring seems so very far away.

Valentines Day just doesn't seem to hold my interest like it once did, so the weeks leading up to it aren't exactly crossed off my calendar in red pen like they once were. But then again, I used to get flowers delivered to my office on Valentines Day. And then a nice dinner out in a restaurant where it didn't matter if the wait was an hour. Because having to wait for a table was Great! We can sit in the bar! And order an appetizer! And talk!

These days I find myself getting antsy if the drive thru line at McDonald's has more than four cars in it, because it means I will need to explain at least 32 extra times why they no longer have Polly Pocket toys. Even the recent Strawberry Shortcake offerings were not enough to erase the fond memories of a Polly Pocket Happy Meal.

And, on the occasion when we don't dine at a place with a drive thru, if the wait is longer than 20 minutes, we must think about leaving. Because 20 minutes gives each of my children exactly 5 minutes of their own to hold the your-table-is-ready-red-light-is-flashing-beeper-thingy. I think the adult word for it would be a pager?

And if the pager has not paged us in 20 minutes, look out. Because things tend to get a little heated. The pager gets grabbed and pulled and yanked around like a it's a hundred dollar bill, each kid hoping that during the time they have it in their hot little hands, it will go off. And they are not afraid to wrestle each other for it. Meanwhile, every other person in the waiting area is PRAYING TO THE GOOD LORD ABOVE that they do not end up seated near us.

I don't blame them a bit. I often end up wishing I didn't have to sit near us.

And what our lack of restaurant etiquette has to do with my wintertime blues, I have no idea.

Anyway.

I think I was really feeling the wintertime blues today, because while I was outside with the dogs it seemed that there were reminders everywhere that Spring was not even close to being around the corner. Which means that Summer is not even on the horizon. And I love summer.

I had my favorite winter boots on. I mean I love these boots, I just wish I didn't have at least twelve more weeks left to wear them.

They are cute though, don't ya think? A little cowboy-ish, but yet with a rubber sole and rounded toe that says, "Hey, I'm really a suburban mom who, while with no real reason to need cowboy boots, thinks that they pretty cool with my jeans."





And as much as I love my boots, I'd give them up in a minute for a good pedicure and some sand between my toes.

Then there's the grill. Were no grilling is taking place. We tried to grill some burgers a few weeks ago, and it was just too cold. The grill never really got hot enough. Which is actually why we ended up at a restaurant with the infamous pager system that causes me great amounts of stress, when we had a taste for steaks a few nights ago.




Not too far from the barbcue is the pool. Which is frozen solid. And obviously, covered with snow. And lately the only thing that has been stressing me out more than the questions about Polly Pockets is the question that will not die.

"Can we go ice skating on the pool?"

Ummmmm, NO. And the answer will still be NO Every.Single.Time.You.Ask.





And look at this poor, lonely, cold little playhouse. It sits outside in the freezing air and cold winds probably wondering where the little girl and her Polly Pockets are. It was below zero here yesterday, and no one even bothered to care enough to close the front door. Poor thing.




Inside, the cubbies are filled with vests and coats and scarves. Where bathing suits and baseball uniforms used to hang, there is enough down to fill a king size comforter.




Of course, another sign of wintertime indoors is the ever present bottle of the 'pink stuff' on the counter along with some form of cough syrup or cough suppressant or cough inducer. Whatever it may be, for the love of a good nights sleep, JUST MAKE THE COUGHING STOP.




And finally, the biggest sign of all that it's winter, it's cold and it's snowing with no end in sight? BOTH of our cars are in THE GARAGE. At the same time. Together.

Why does this make me sad? Well, for one, it means a lot more of the driveway is going to need shoveling.

But really, it means we're not playing outside. The garage is not strewn with bicycles and scooters and jump ropes that are supposed to get put away when the playing is done, but never do. The powerwheels are hung up high and the driveway hasn't seen a chalk painting in ages.




As much as I like having the garage picked up enough to have both cars in it, these wintertime blues really stink. I need some sun. I need some warm temperatures, and the smell of some fresh Springtime air.

Mostly, I need to snap out of this funk.

I need to quit moaning and groaning about winter, and the cold, and the snow. The snow doesn't even bother me that much. It's just this feeling I have that the greenness, the newness of Spring is taking forever to get here.

I need to be grateful for each day, each moment. Cold weather or not.

I probably need to go play with some Polly Pockets.

post signature

24 comments:

Unknown said...

Maybe it is time to take the Polly Pockets on an expedition, and build them an igloo in the snow....or maybe just take them for some retail therapy instead.

Hope thaw starts soon, and Spring not too far away.

Family Adventure said...

Or we could just book a getaway to Australia or New Zealand? What do you say? Might even leave the kids at home with their dads??

Heidi :)

Sister Honey Bunch/Judi maloney said...

I feel your pain. I live in Northern Michigan and is COLD here with all kinds of snow and no forecast that it's going to stop.

I love winter, but I do get the blues when it's even too cold to be outside sledding, skiing, snow shoeing, etc. So, I will go buy a nice bronzing lotion at the drugstore and give myself some color. I might even book an appt at the tanning salon just to feel the warmth on my skin. It does the trick for my blues when they turn up.

tammi said...

Oh, I hear you, Lisa!! Generally February is a REALLY long month for me, but you know what's helped me this year? Bragging about how well I can survive in this frigid Canadian prairie winter! I just realized not that long ago that having southerners ooooo and ahhhhh over wintery pictures has made me see winter a little bit differently. I never thought of winter as having a beauty of its own before -- I just wanted it to be over!!! Now I still want it to be over, but somehow I'm not caring as much this year that we're in my least favourite season. Maybe thinking up something that your family only does in winter and focusing on doing that as often as possible would help. (Or hibernating with your new puppy!)

tammi said...

PS. a winter barbequeing tip: use your BBQ in the garage in winter (with one door open, of course) and allow it to preheat for 15 minutes before grilling. It works well for us! Sunday was -29 here and super windy, but Bushman was barbequeing because we had company and that's what we'd decided to do! I would've taken a picture of them drinking beer and tending the BBQ in their head-to-toe snowmobile suits, but it was just too dang cold and my camera would never have cooperated anyway!!

Christie said...

I am right there with you. Was JUST thinking about that very thing today when I woke up and saw that it was ten degrees out. I just want to hibernate and sleep until spring. Care to join me?

Queen B said...

I've got no words of encouragement. I just wanted you to know that I really like your boots.

Dana said...

I hear ya! I don't mind the snow, I just can't stand the cold. My almost 2 year was standing in the driveway crying this morning. I can tell how he feels about winter. :)

Anonymous said...

Hi Lisa,
I am the same way, I do not like winter time. I could be a bear and stay in for the winter. I need the sun and warm temperatures. I live for the sunshine shining though my windows and love driving with the wind blowing in my hair. I try not to get out unless I really have to. (besides for work)
I also love the boots. Nice and warm on the toes, but yeah the sand would feel much better.
Debbie

Queen Mother said...

I could take the cold if the sun would shine. I feel your winter blue pain. This will pass! Awesome boots. They would make me feel better!

Jul said...

Very cute post :)

snaphappy said...

Where'd ya get the boots?

(notice, I skip over all of the rest of your blog, when there's potential shopping . . . )

Becky @ BoysRuleMyLife said...

suck. it. up. just kidding.... reminiscing of you telling your kids to do that when you brought them out into the blazing cold to look for a tree. :)

February is a rough month. Too bad it's not even here yet. And you know what, I totally miss those days of being able to wait an hour for a table and it not being a big deal. Even now if I had a babysitter I would never wait an hour. Parenthood...

It is yucky rainy weather down here. And cold and windy. We're mostly stuck inside, too. Unfortunately we had some warm weather a few weeks ago and now after some snow and really cold days everything is dead. I almost had flowers blooming... Spring won't be too pretty here this year.

Anyway. Didn't mean to write so much... even though I always do. You always have the best conversation pieces. I love stopping by...

Hey, I've got an idea - go bust out your cocomotion contraption and make some hot cocoa. Maybe that will help?

Wishing you some warm weather soon...
Becky

Kelly @ Love Well said...

I feel you, girlfriend. Winter isn't horrible, per say. It's just SO DANG LONG in our parts of the woods.

When we moved back after our 10-year stint in California, we vowed to take a winter trip every year, to break up the dull grayness of Janfebmarchuary.

Tanning booths also help. Skin cancer is no threat when you feel like you're not going to make it to St. Patrick's Day.

forcryeye said...

Maybe wearing my glasses will cheer you up, I can't do it, I have the wintertime blues myself.

Laura said...

Oh I hear ya on that one. Our winters here are so long and we've only had four days of sun since the beginning of November. I really don't know how I make it through year after year :(

SeaWorthy said...

alright Lisa, I think you need some sun!! Hope on over to the coastal nest, I took lots of photos of bobvilla and I hard at work in the sunshine- at the beach no less... althought it wasnt above 30 degrees, it was lovely, and I really needed it, just as you do. Maybe the photos will help. Im so sorry Both your cars are in the garage, but- they do look cozy so close together! Maybe if you cuddled up with your man, as close as the cars are....okay, dont know you well enough for this kind of advise.. sorry...
Take care my friend, the sunshine is on its way, you know, global warming and all, we will be wishing for the snow this summer when we are all at 129 degrees! ouch!! THATS HOT!
Lisa
coastal nest

Unknown said...

I sing the winter blues with ya!

Come check out what I have for you, maybe it can make you smile a little through your chattering teeth. :D

You have to scroll down a little....
http://staciesmadness.blogspot.com/2008/01/serenity-now.html

Nicole said...

I feel ya.

Though not with my hands because they are frozen.

I'll just look at my pictures of trips to Mexico that I took when we REALLY NEEDED TO GET AWAY.

But didn't have kids yet.

Go figure.

AnnG said...

I hear what you are saying and I'm not even where there is any snow on the ground, but it's still winter time....my post yesterday talks about this same kind of thing....Hope you get out of the FUNK soon.....

chrissy said...

I know what you mean about winter blues!! Love the boots! I can also relate to the pager thingy in the restaurant, which is why we do not go anymore, I only have 15 minutes before it turns into a battle. For me, right now, it is just to stressful to eat out!!

momof2 said...

I totally understand! I've complained about January and February for years and the subsequent "depressed funk" it always leaves me feeling. But this year we have planned a trip to Puerto Vallarta (leaving on Valentine's Day) and so I've had to go the tanning bed (which I typically try to stay away from)and I've got to admit...the bursts of artificial sun coupled with the anticipation of a beach vacation in February are doing a good job at keeping my seasonal depression at bay this year!

Martha said...

Just pick up the Pollies when you're done. I don't want to be stepping on those things when I come over to cheer you up:)

Cute boots, sister.

I want winter done on February 29th. Done! Outta here!

xoxo

Mary@notbefore7 said...

OH, I so want the summer too! I love my new black boots, really, I do...but maybe I can pull them off at the pool? :)