Winter Wonderland?

I remember when I was little and I'd always look forward to snow days and the cold weather that Winter's breath would bring. I'd sit at my window in the morning, staring at the snow, hoping, praying, that the bus wouldn't come that day. Unfortunately, living in Kansas, the gravel roads that were abundant allowed the buses to have increased traction, meaning snow wasn't as big of a problem for them as it would have been in a city. You can imagine my disappointment, then, when schools in more populated areas would be out, but my school wasn't.

I've always loved the winter months, especially when I was younger, having Christmas and then a birthday sixteen days afterward. The idea of throwing snow balls has always appealed to me, but I've never really been able to do it that much. Building a snowman is still a far off dream in my mind, and carving out a snow tunnel is an event that I wish I could find enough snow to start. But despite not being able to do those things, nothing beats gazing over a landscape that's blanketed with snow and ice. Mind you, I don't mean five feet of snow, but a light covering.

I have many fond memories of looking out of the windows at the house I lived at in Kansas and seeing the icicles hanging from trees, appearing finger-like. I can still recall the fresh sheets of powder, hardly an inch disturbed, with a few paths that the resident deer had made. I can still remember going sledding with a few friends, only to be disappointed when the snow melted later that afternoon, but getting excited when the clouds rolled in and offered us another chance to fly down the hills, dodging a few trees and large rocks as we went.

Lately, though, my tolerance for the cold seems to have disappeared. I love the winter months, and what they bring, but I just wish I could have all of that without the temperature being so low. Gone are the days of walking down the road to Justin's house in -3 degree weather, only to find that his parents changed their minds and we'd have to do something at my house, and having to trudge back, through the snow and slick ice. Gone are the days of playing around outside in only a thin jacket, no gloves, no hat, and regular shoes. Gone are the days of taking Trixie outside and throwing snow, in a mockery of a tennis ball, in an attempt to get her to "fetch," for hours upon hours.

I should probably stop using this space heater. It's caused me to have a low tolerance for the weather that I once loved so dearly (and here you thought I was going to have a serious cause for my tolerance to the cold seeming to vanish).

On another note, I am highly excited for the upcoming holidays, and my birthday. Here's hoping one of those goes better than last year, eh?

God Bless,

Mike