1. SNOW! After the first snowstorm of the year, which frosts the world and makes everything lovely, I pretty much get over it and just want it to go the &#$@ away.
2. Frigid Temps. So cold it bites into my skin and chafes my flesh? No thanks.
3. Slightly Cold Temps. Let’s face it, I’m not really thrilled when it gets below 60 degrees fahrenheit. Yeah, I live in New England and I’m still a big wimp in the face of cold.
4. ICE! Worse than snow!
5. Shoveling Snow! Whine, whine, whine (I will be doing this today. Think of me. Think of me with a big shovel in hand… well, that’s pretty much how some of you think of me anyway, and it’s not for snow… but just imagine me in snow with a shovel… ).
6. Wearing puffy layers of clothes that make me look even fatter! OMG!
7. Driving in snow, ice, wind, rain. There’s nothing good about this. Not a thing. It’s scary. I hate it. Hate.
8. Rain over snow. This is just about the nastiest thing one can imagine. When I think of hell, I don’t think of heat. I think it must be ten below with whipping wind, ice, and rain falling on top of ten feet of snow. That I have to shovel.
9. My diet. The instinct to build protective layers of fat is strong with me. Layers upon layers. I believe I’ve achieved a stunning degree of success with this– and yet, I’m still cold. Thus, still want to eat comfort food. Thus, building those fat layers.
10. Staying indoors/lack of sunlight. To avoid 1-8, and wreaking havoc with 9. I miss the sun. I miss walking in the sun. But I just don’t want to leave my house. And it gets dark early and stays dark so long.
Oh, eleven. Eleven things. Because the main thing that I hate about winter in New England is that it lasts so darn long. November through April. Sometimes into May. Wah! So basically, if I lived in another state, I might not hate winter quite so much. Maybe I should move. Or examine the things I like about winter.
1. Snow. That first snowfall. Ooooh. It’s so pretty it almost makes me like snow. Until I remember… um, no. I don’t like snow.
2. The eternal hope for a snow day. Getting snowed in can be fun, until you realize you’ve eaten enough to fuel a small (large) army and you still have to go out and shovel. But still, there’s the hope that it might snow overnight, in a magical, beautiful way that forces school/work cancellation and lets you sleep in.
3. Puffy layers, bad, but big cozy sweaters that actually help hide all that fat I’ve been piling on- good.
4. Staying indoors. Sometimes I could imagine myself becoming a recluse. Avoiding people. Getting a lot of writing done. If only my daughter could drive herself to school and groceries and supplies would magically materialize, I would be all set to hibernate, or at least not leave the house, all winter. Though, the lack of sunshine would lead to a major depression. And on the other hand, that might not be bad for the writing…
5. At least shoveling snow is a calorie-burning activity.
6. Winter Olympics! Coming soon. I love the winter games. And the summer games. I’m looking forward to figure skating (my favorite winter spectator sport).
And with all my spare time, I created a Sherri Browning Erwin Readers group at Facebook. Join me and my bona fide 47 fans! (Does my mom count as a fan?)
(Note: This is the kind of thing that happens in a long, cold winter. You get a little crazy from lack of human interaction and play with Photo Booth, or make videos. Party on, Whiners!)
How much snow or cold have you had this winter? Do you love or hate winter? Are you looking forward to the Winter Olympics?
{ 33 comments… read them below or add one }
I can’t believe that this is the first moment I’ve sat at the computer all day!
Anyway, chiming in late to say I’m a major cold wimp. Every year I miss my friends (ahem, not pointing fingers, but Dee! Kathleen!) who pulled up their Texas stakes and moved to parts north, and I think how much fun it would be to live up there. Then winter comes, and it drops to, oh, 50, and I think, “no freaking way.” And THIS year, it’s dropped low, low, low. I think it got down to 18 or something, and it actually snowed. Our electric bill this month was four hundred dollars (!!!!!!!) higher than I’d budgeted. And I know it was from running the heater (and the fact that our house is in serious need of better insulation). No, I do not love winter. I love summer. Tank tops and capris and flip-flops. Just a few short months away…..
So after all my whining and preparation to be snowed in, and school cancellations, the storm passed us by with just a dusting. Incredible. That’s New England weather for you.
The first time it snowed on us in Santa Fe, we were like kids, or typical Texans, having too much fun playing in to realize we should be shoveling it. Who knew all that fun fluffy white stuff would turn to ice if you didn’t shovel it right away? LOL
I hate when that happens.
LOL. What’s going on here, Sherri? I clicked on “view more” WS tweets. I received the following message:
You 404′d it. Gnarly, dude. (Followed by cute, smart aleck description and instructions.)
What up???
I just checked it, normal for me. But I have seen that before. I have no idea what it means. Maybe it’s when Twitter is down? I don’t know.
LOL, how… timely. We’re snowed in here, and it’s not too bad, but for once, I actually needed the hands-on help at home for stuffing and folding activities.
We got super=duper nuclear-charged snow blower (if you knew my DH, you’d totally get this), so he’s very excited to use it for the first time this year. Wimpy snows don’t work well with it. I’m watching happily from my warm office.
Every year, we talk about getting one of those high-powered blowers. And every year, we skip it. And then right when we get a huge storm, we wonder why we didn’t invest in the big blower. Let me know how it goes for you (and by that I mean, for him. I can imagine how it’s working out for you in your warm office).
Oh, extra note: I tried to use that picture as my Google profile pic, but when I sent Mr. Right an IM, he thought I was flipping him off. The photo size is reduced so you can only see fingers in the air, not which fingers. LOL! I had to change it. Now I know that shot is good for fooling around on the blog, and good for when I need to Google Chat with someone I don’t like. (which of course doesn’t happen, because I love everyone).
Hahahahaaaa. I love it. You should use it. Keep ‘em wondering.
Too Funny…I had to read this to my coworkers who all agreed with you! I lived in the midwest for 8 years and I have to say it was the coldest most miserable time in my life. My first winter out there the sun came up at 7 and set by 3, people actually plugged their cars in to keep them warm. Plus we were by the lake and it made it an icy cold that cut straight to the bone and made the gray and snow stick around for months. I moved to Denver a year and a half ago and we get 3 feet of snow and it’s gone in 2 days. I couldn’t ask for a better place to live, I actually don’t mind winter as much now, except when we get snow in september and may. I don’t watch much television so I’ll follow the medal count online and cheer for the US in the olympics. Cute picture of you.
Thanks!
Denver’s nice. I didn’t realize it melted so fast there. Does this mean no shoveling? Can you just let it sit and melt? Might make it worth putting Denver on the list of Places to Consider Running Away to in Order to Make a New Life. (yes, I have such a list).
I hate winter, hate snow, hate being cold. If I never saw snow again, that would be fine with me. You’d think in Atlanta we’d be having a mild winter, but nope–it’s been awful. Cold (not New England cold, but down in the 20′s and 30′s), and rainy/gray most days. It’s sunny today, but very windy–temps in the 30′s with the wind chill.
Can’t wait for the Winter Games! Love ice skating/dancing, the skiing, all of it. Love Apollo Ono. Wish the Games were on every year!
Jacquie, it has been surprisingly awful in the South this year, hasn’t it? I think a lot of areas have been hit with snow, ice, and cold. It has been really cold here, but we haven’t been as bombarded with snow as usual in winter. Today’s storm still hasn’t started. A lot of hype and build-up, and nothing yet. But 30 inches in DC recently? Crazy. And I’m still whining about it. It’s a February ritual for me. But yes, bring on the Winter Games!
Jacquie is my kinda gal….
Okay, having spent the better part of my life in a part of the world without real seasons and scorching 100+ days in summer — I LOVE winter. But that said, I live in NYC where there are people who are paid to run out and shovel the snow (God, bless them) so that eliminates some of your top eleven. Oh, and I’m always hot – -more so now than ever — so I’m the woman in the 20 degree weather that is walking around with her coat wide open.
Oh and party on dude!!!!! Love the pic…
You TOTALLY hit my button today, Sherri. I am so, so sick of winter! The weather pattern has caused us to have bitter cold and snow every 4-7 days these past few weeks. We still have a lot of snow left from the first (and largest) storm, but it won’t melt. Too cold, no sun, and 4-5 new inches every few days. I’m with you on your entire list.
The absolute worst for me has been the lack of sun. When you need lights on at 3 pm, it’s depressing. This is the first winter I can remember that it has actually affected me this drastically. I think I’ve developed that S.A.D. thing (Seasonal Affective Disorder?–something like that). I NEED SPRING AND I NEED IT NOW! (Meanwhile, we’re supposed to get more snow tomorrow.)
Other than the above, I’m doing peachy. LOL
LOL, VB! You have my complete understanding.
Honestly, VB, I have noticed the same thing this winter. Not the snow, but the gloom and damp cold. Its really affected me, too, and I really feel for the people who live in this s*^t ALL THE TIME.
Such a cute post Sherri, I like that picture of you too. Well the reason most people don’t move to where it’s sunny all the time ie. Ca. remember I live in a house with one bathroom and it’s sixty years old and last year it was worth half a million dollars. Also I’m totally underemployed, I should be teaching but there is a hiring freeze, private schools are very private and hard to get into and pay poorly.
Winter here is not so bad, if you like mud, mudslides, rain, puddles of rain you can’t walk through. Oh and the summer can be from April to early November, and were talking 114 degrees sometimes. The power browns out or goes out all together and you think you’re going to die. But were very rarely super cold and I really hate that so I have total sympathy for you, especially the driving thing!
LOL, Parrot, thanks! I’m so glad I have a California friend to remind me of all the very same things Kathleen Givens would say.
Wow, thanks for the compliment.
I hate winter for all the same reasons you’ve stated. I shoveled snow for two hours yesterday only to have it look like I hadn’t done anything a few hours later. I don’t know why I stay here.
We’re having a snow day here, but it hasn’t even started snowing. We’ve had days with actual blizzard conditions during which the superintendent has not cancelled school, or even arranged for early release, and now we have dire predictions but no actual snow and she cancelled school. Crazy. But I slept until 8 am. Which was pretty sweet, really.
Since my daughter goes to Catholic school, they almost never call off for a snow day because they don’t have to worry about buses, just all us parents having to drive to get our kids there.
Our town doesn’t rely on buses. There is a bus, but it’s $200 a year per kid to take the bus. Almost everyone opts to drive their own kids. This is only our second snow day this year so far. And still, no snow. Weird!
I am hardly qualified to comment on this blog. If the temp dips below 50, I can hardly get out of bed. And I would be putting on layer upon layer of fat. The instinct to eat is so unbelievably strong! How do people survive it?
How do you shovel snow?
I wish you could come here, where it’s cold, but not your kind of cold.
Well, I am glad you’re not here, where it’s cold, so very cold that it would shock your senses and put you in a cold coma. I would have to fix you a very large meal to snap out of it, and where would you be then? Not running a 10k in March, that’s for sure. LOL.
We need a video – Sherri Browning Erwin’s “How to Shovel Snow” educational video. LOL! You could do one and then sell copies. Might pay for Starbucks a few times.
I’ll say I’m tired of Winter too. We’ve had one BIG snow here in the KC area at Christmas. It was here when I returned on December 3oth and to add insult to injury it snowed twice ( a couple of inches each time) more. Then it took most of January to melt and go away. Now we keep getting nuisance snow/sleet/ice events that make travel difficult for a day or so. Problem is we seem to get two or three of these small events each week. DONE! I’m DONE.
The sun is out today. Yeah! Problem is it’s 19 degrees. Oh well, I console myself by saying, at least I don’t live where Sherri lives.
It would be full of curse words and muttering, and I might not fit on the screen in my super puffed out parka. Plus, Mr. Right would have to make a cameo to tell you I’m doing it all wrong, nudge me aside, and show everyone the Right Way to Shovel (which involves even more curse words but goes so fast you’ll think someone speeded up to fast forward).
And, as I already knew, Julia is my kind of woman, too. Of course, being about 7 miles north of her, I clearly am suffering through the harder winter. Bwahahahaha.