Yes, my friend, winter has begun with the winter solstice arriving yesterday. And if you have followed me for any length of time you know it’s not my favorite time of year.
I’m fine through the holidays as we have so many things to do and people to share the season with. However, after we ring in the new year reality settles in.
I wasn’t always this way. Before the arthritis kicked into high gear and the joints started being replaced I was actually okay with the snow and ice. My wife and I used to enjoy cross-country skiing. Man that seems like a lifetime ago! We even tried to introduce our oldest children to the sport until they realized it was quite the workout. They discovered downhill skiing was faster and not as much work.
I don’t know why but it seems like the early sunsets have been more annoying to me this year. I don’t understand it since it’s nothing new. It’s been like this for years.
Many times this fall I have felt like it’s time for bed and it’s only 7:30 p.m. I realized this week that in the summer we have the sun set around 8:00 p.m. Three hours later it’s 11 p.m. so it IS bedtime. In November and December we have sunset around 4 or 4:30 p.m. so three hours later it’s only 7:30 p.m. but I’m thinking bedtime.
Yesterday I was trying to think of what I could do differently this year to make winter more bearable.
First of all my granddaughter is due in early January so that’ll be nice. That will be in Virginia Beach so I can look forward to meeting her sometime next month. My son, Doug, was telling me that Virginia Beach was having it’s typical winter this year. He says The Beach has Powerball temperatures in a typical winter week. High temperatures for the week go something like “36, 64, 22, 58.” Pretty much like your typical Powerball drawing. I think he said he was wearing shorts on Tuesday.
My son-in-law in south Texas gets excited about winter. January and February is about the only time he gets a break from cutting the grass and he can actually play 18 holes of golf during the day because they get a break from the heat. They actually have a golf course in Corpus Christi that has lights like a baseball stadium so you can play at night in the summer. My daughter, Sarah, says we will have to make a Christmas trip to Texas while they are stationed there so we can have a barbecue for Christmas dinner and then go to the beach.
I also thought that this winter I would restart my classic movie quest. A couple of years ago I made it a point to start watching all those so-called “classic movies” that everyone talks about. So far I’ve watched “Casablanca” and “Citizen Kane” among others and I have thoroughly enjoyed them. I just look at what’s on Turner Classic Movies and I set the DVR for those that I’ve read about. I need to make a new list as I’m sure there are plenty of others.
Oh and I did watch “White Christmas” the other night. I had mentioned a few weeks ago that I had never seen it and I heard from a few people who were amazed I had never viewed it. My take on it? Corny as all get out but I enjoyed it. I love those old musicals where suddenly everyone breaks out in song no matter where they are. And everyone in the background just accepts it like there’s nothing unusual about somebody suddenly dancing and singing with a full orchestra. Imagine you’re sitting in Olive Garden some night and you witness that. Happens all the time, right?
I also need to get outside as much as I can this winter. Fresh air and sunshine is always a good thing. I’ve heard that we don’t get the same Vitamin D benefit from the sun that we get at other times of the year because of the angle of the sun but I feel like getting out in nature has to be a plus. As long as there is no ice on the walkway I need to commit to getting outside for a walk at least once a day, That first day we don’t top 5 degrees will be a challenge. I’ll let you know how I do.
I think that’s the key this year: Have a plan. Get some fresh air. Spend time with friends and family. Fill those cold, dark nights with movies or reading.
Oh and in case you’re wondering…there are only 88 days until Spring and 180 days until Summer.
WE CAN DO IT!
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