Settled in for a Long Winter's Nap

Oh, wait…a long winter’s nap is what I dream about this time every year.

I hate winter. Surprise, huh? I do though. Hate it. The older I get, the less tolerant I am of snow and cold and ice and brown slush and gray skies. And cold.

Blech.

I heard someone on tv a couple of weeks ago say that you should never live somewhere that it gets colder than your age. It was said as a joke, but it sounds like an excellent idea to me. That means I should live somewhere it never gets colder than 50. I could definitely go for that…it would mean I would still have fall and be able to wear sweaters. I would be pretty happy going right from fall to spring.

I keep hearing that this winter is going to be a doozy. Our weather forecasters here in the Lou have been telling us since summer that the Farmer’s Almanac is predicting a colder and wetter than normal winter for the Midwest. The coldest and wettest in a long time.

Lovely.

I can’t wait.

Blech.

I believe the forecasters for once, though they typically get it wrong. It’s already been much colder than it normally is this time of year—the winds have been howling, heavy frost covers the car windows each night, we have had a significant snow fall along with two bouts of ice/sleet. I felt a foul mood creeping up on me just thinking about a long, cold winter even before Christmas.

Good thing I “can’t wait” since I don’t have long to wait--today and tomorrow, we are apparently in for a large snowfall and ridiculously frigid temperatures. The kind of cold that makes me wish I could be a snowbird and live in Florida during the winter months. The kind of cold the forecasters (in their oh, so dramatic way) are saying we haven’t experienced for nearly 20 years. The kind of nasty winter weather that caused me to have to wait in line for 40 minutes at Walmart today because I didn’t realize until this morning that we were out of kitty litter. For a few seconds, I toyed around with the idea of turning Simba into an outdoor cat, then I wouldn’t need kitty litter. Lucky him, I waited in that line.

Tonight and tomorrow, we have been told to expect wind chill temperatures between -30 and -40.

Brrrrrrrrr…I’m shivering and my teeth are chattering and my fingers are numb just thinking about it. One good thing about it is that tomorrow, I don’t have to go anywhere. The other good thing is that I have warm pajama pants and new slippers.

How’s that for looking on the sunshiny bright side of a winter storm?

Looking even more on the bright side, I decided a few weeks ago that if we are going to have a horrible winter, I am not going to spend it depressed and pining away waiting for spring like I normally do.

Oh no indeed.

I am going to dance in the snow.

My new motto for the next four months is going to be “Life’s not about waiting for the winter to pass, it’s about learning to dance in the snow.”

I’m not going to literally dance in the snow. I’m not going to get THAT carried away. I did play in the snow a few weekends ago and helped the girls build this awesome snowman.

 And I never play in the snow. The closest I typically get to playing in the snow is watching my kids play in the snow from the comfort of my house.

But, what I am going to do is force myself to find ways to enjoy these coming dreary, blech months when darkness descends much too early in the day and my bones are chilled. I’ve started a list, and I’ve gathered a few things so that I will be able to do just that. If you can’t beat ‘em, or hibernate, join ‘em.

 

Here’s my list so far:

*I purchased some loose tea and a tea strainer for the first time ever. A month or so ago, my boss brought in some yummy orange spice tea that she purchased at a little market on Main Street in St. Charles, and wow, was it tasty. I’ve only drank tea that was brewed from a bag, and I am hooked on loose tea now. I bought my own little container of orange spice tea and even found a pretty little dish in my china cabinet to put it in so it would look nice sitting on my kitchen counter. Each day when I get home from work, I’m going to take a few minutes to enjoy a cup of delicious tea before I head into the craziness of dinner and laundry and homework.

*I have scoured Pinterest and made a list of some fun and easy projects the girls and I can do together. I’ve bought a few supplies and put them in a box on a shelf in the pantry. When we are bored or have a snow day, I will pull it out and pick something to create. Making things always makes me feel good, so we may be making a lot of things this winter!

*I bought two new decks of cards, and we are going to learn some new card games.

*I started stocking up on yarn whenever Michaels and Hobby Lobby had excellent sales. I now have quite a stash along with a few scarf patterns to keep my hands busy and warm on cold days.

*I made a hot cocoa/coffee station on my kitchen counter and supplied it with vanilla creamer, different flavors of hot cocoa, jars of plain and peppermint marshmallows, a few mugs and spoons, and a jar of Chai tea. The girls love it, their friends love it, and I am hoping that when school starts again, they will stop asking me every single morning for money so they can stop at Quik Trip for hot chocolate on their way to and from school.

*I discovered a new store…Harry and David…and have fallen in lust with their flavored coffees. I bought a few that I couldn’t resist—Butterscotch Caramel, White Chocolate Cranberry and Mocha Mint. For some reason, the only time I really like flavored coffee is in the fall and winter, and I’m pretty sure I have enough to last a while. Between the tea and all the coffee, if nothing else, I’ll spend the winter on a caffeine high.

*I bought several gallons of paint and am going to finally tackle some much needed painting projects around the house. It’s finally time to say adios amigo! to my cranberry red dining room. I have loved it for quite a few years, but I am looking forward to painting it something different. I am also going to repaint my kitchen and family room. They will be the same color they are now because I love it, but it is looking shabby, and there is nothing like a fresh coat of paint to brighten things up. Another project on my to-do list is to jazz up my laundry room. I spend so much time in there, I decided I might as well make it more appealing. The first thing I did was buy a robin’s egg blue paint for the drab unfinished wood cabinets and a fun picture to hang on the wall.

*Throughout the Christmas season, I took advantage of sales and stocked up on baking supplies. I also have so many new recipes to try out on cold, dreary days…bread, soup, cookies and more. My pantry is well-stocked, and the upside to that is on days when a snowstorm is predicted, I won’t have to join the throngs of people who flock to the grocery store to buy supplies.

*I have candles everywhere. Even the bathroom. I found a new fragrance that I LOVE called Cranberry Pear. It smells so sweet and fruity, almost springy. There is just something about glowing candles that I love, that make even the dreariest, coldest day feel cozy and warm.

*I have been watching for deals on Kindle books and now have a good supply of books to easily get me through a long winter. Probably spring and summer, too. I also bought the first four books in the Game of Thrones series. Nothing like a little gore and sex to brighten up a dreary day, huh? J I’ve made myself a comfy little reading spot in the living room. I’ll be all set once I buy myself the heated throw I have my eye on, but for now, this quilt will do.

I’m sure I will discover more ways to dance in the snow. In fact, I’m looking forward to seeing what I come up with. While I can’t settle in for a long winter’s nap, I do feel like I am settled in for a long winter. Who knows, I may enjoy winter for once and long for more snow days.