I'm Not Wearing Socks Today

I’m not wearing socks today! I announced to my husband on March 12.
“Oh, I’ll wear socks and boots to school, but as soon as I get there, the
socks and boots go in my closet and I’m putting the flats on, without socks.”   
I usually wait until April to ditch the socks, but I don’t know if I can wait that
long. I also know that we had a warmer than usual December, but in my
mind, it started snowing in mid October and it hasn’t stopped.
My weather friends would beg to differ, but the length and intensity of this
winter have been unbearable at times. If it sounds like I’m complaining,
I’m trying not to because I do realize that I enjoyed roughly 12 snow days.
We also took a brief trip to San Francisco in February. But the type of winter
that we have endured this year calls for desperate measures. And I’m getting
desperate. I have gotten completely tired of wearing black. On my no-sock
day, I went into the attic to dig out my light pink pants. “It’s time to brighten
things up around here,” I thought. I froze my feet in the -3 degree attic burrowing
through 3 totes of spring/summer clothing, only to come up empty handed.
What happened to those pants? It can’t be spring unless I have pink pants
to wear (even if they are topped with a sweater).
But then I remembered. My over 50 statistically accurate 10 pound average
weight gain prompted me to add those cute and comfy spring pants to the
Good Will pile last summer when they proved to be slightly too restricting
around the backside and midsection. That evening I ordered a replacement
pair that would be delivered and ready to wear by the
time we got back from spring break.
Even though I know that spring is further off than I care to accept, I do like
this time of year. Unlike October, when I have the whole winter in front of
me with the dark mornings and dark nights, even a snowy spring has the
promise of warm days ahead. When it snows in November, I’m breaking out
my warm clothes and pulling the big, warm socks to the front of the drawer.
When it snows in April, I know that the snow will melt and although I need
to wear boots and socks and mittens to work, that those things can
quickly be swapped out and It’ll feel like spring inside,
even if it doesn’t look like it on the outside.

Keep Calm. Spring is Coming

I was standing in my bedroom one day looking out at the beauty and tranquility of the gently falling snow. I can't describe the feelings that washed over me as I looked out at this "Walking Through the Woods on a Snowy Evening" scene spread out before me. Wait a minute. Yes I could. The feelings were anger, disgust, and frustration. This day in particular wasn't late November or early December, it was March 28th, the first day of my spring break. The previous day we has gotten a whopping 2-3 inches of heavy snow and probably the worst drive to work I had experienced all year. I reminded myself of the same thing I tell myself every year around this time. "It's OK. It will melt. At least it isn't November." Only this year it seems different for some reason. First, I usually find myself saying that to myself in early to mid March. Second, with the February like temperatures we had all through March, April is not turning out to be all that springy. Who's to say that once the lakes begin to melt we won't get April showers in the form of lake effect snow? I really am the kind of person who tries to make the best of it. I feel like if we have chosen to live up here we should take advantage of the winter conditions and do things like ski, skate, and snowshoe. That all sounds good on theory, but I haven't once done any of those things this winter even though I own both skis (downhill and cross country) as well as snowshoes. But enough is enough! I avoided going on Facebook to look at pictures of my friends' fabulous spring break extravaganzas and have forbidden my mom from sending anymore "It's 80 degrees here in Florida and look at pictures of my begonias!" emails. I am reminded of that old British poster that says "Keep Calm and Carry On" (in case you didn't know the original version because it's everywhere in every rendition imaginable). Only I have come up with some versions of my own:

Keep Calm and Keep Shoveling
Keep Calm and Wear A Sweater
Keep Calm and Buy Snow Tires

I usually refuse to wear socks after spring break as a point of protest, but I don't think that's going to happen for a while. And when this endless winter does finally make way for spring the last of the snow is going to melt like gangbusters. Then, well, just Keep Calm and Swim.