Another week, another column…
With January winding down – there’s only one more week – now there’s only a couple more months (maybe) to get through before spring arrives again.
That seems like a long time, but the way the days have been flying by this month, maybe my old nemesis February will “melt away” in a hurry too. That month is dark, cold and always seems to last way too long.
March is always a better month because you know you are going to have a few warm days in there to look forward to and when it’s over, spring will really arrive!
I can’t help it; I am just not a winter person anymore. These days my winter outings consist of trips to the car, or into and back from the store, or from the car to the doctor’s office door…
My feet get cold.
As a youngster that never seemed to happen. Growing up, I thoroughly enjoyed the snow season up around Roscommon, sledding, skating, skiing and more.
We always had plenty of the white stuff, or at least that is the way I remember it. Back then every season was an adventure, even cold, blustery winter ones. There was always something to do, snow forts to build, snow ball fights on the playground, sledding parties sponsored by our church…
I spent as much time outside as I possibly could, coming in to “thaw out” only when I couldn’t stand it any longer. I remember hours at the village ice-skating rink on Saturdays while my mom was at work. I remember going skiing with my brother Jim when I was barely big enough to ride a bike. We lived on a hill, so sledding, especially with some giant snow banks in the yard, was always loads of fun. Once we had so much snow that after my dad shoveled some rooms for me and covered them with old lumber, I could almost stand up inside my dark, cold and cozy “fort.”
Even before we had a television, I don’t remember being bored, or ever having cabin fever, although our house would have fit into our place on the river at least twice. (now days, we are living in about the same amount of space I grew up in…)
In our old place on the hill northeast of Roscommon, there were always radio programs to listen to, books to read and even jigsaw puzzles to put together on a cold and blustery day.
I missed that activity and asked especially for a new jigsaw puzzle for Christmas almost every year. I usually got one too — once one that was 3,000 pieces and a finished size of three by four feet. My husband’s idea, bless his heart. Only one problem, the only place big enough to put it together was the dining room table, and my one start on it had to be aborted for a family dinner. So, it ended up in the box, stored somewhere (probably still out in the garage). I have never put one that large together, and living here in the “big camper,” it’s not looking promising that it will ever happen these days.
I don’t sled, skate or ski anymore, but I still enjoy winter’s indoor activities – watching the wildlife through the windows, TV programs and movies, sewing and of course books, which are my first love and a great escape during the cold winter months. Before I got my “Kindle,” my habit was hauling around the one I was immersed in on the chance I could read a few more pages.
I believe that a good book is a lot like an old friend. You never get tired of spending time with them and you always learn something new when you do.
