Six Weeks of Winter

Yesterday was Groundhog Day here in the states. A furry rodent predicted six more weeks of winter.

Winter. Not to sound like your grandparents who walked uphill both ways to their one-room school in the snow, but winter is not as bad as it was when I was a kid. Seriously. I remember the thermometer hitting 20 degrees fahrenheit in November and staying there through the middle of March. I also remember mountains of snow from October through May.

Last winter, we had one dusting of snow, and it was gone after three days. This winter, we’ve had two bouts of snow, followed by two thaws. We had a dusting of flurries yesterday, and all traces of white are gone now. It’s supposed to snow again tomorrow and later next week, according to our meteorologist. She sounded so disgusted when she said, “It’s going to stay cold, too.” Bitch, it’s February. It’s supposed to be cold.

Things to do in February: drink hot chocolate and hot tea, play in the snow (once there is snow) and keep your hands busy so they don’t freeze. My mom is crocheting blankets. I have yarn, but I have a better way to engage my brain that doesn’t involve counting (sorry, yarn peeps). I write long-hand.

I bought myself new notebooks today. I don’t even need notebooks. I’ve half a shelf of unused notebooks. They were pretty colors, college ruled, and sturdy Mead Five-Stars. You know, priorities.

Long hand is more visceral than typing. I love typing stories, too, don’t get me wrong, but I prefer to have a blueprint, at least. That’s where the notebooks come into play. I plot with pen and paper. That’s how I plan to spend my February.

How are you staying warm? Or, if you’re one of my southern hemisphere readers, how are you staying cool this summer? (South Florida….)