What I Like About Winter

For several weeks now, I have been composing a blog post in my head entitled "What I Hate About Winter." My list goes something like this:

1. Cold feet.
2. Dry, cracked skin.
3. Inversions.
4. Bitingly cold winds.
5. Going to work in the dark, and coming home in the dark.
6. Having to start your car 10 minutes before you are planning to leave.
7. Constantly dirty cars.
8. Static electricity in my hair.
9. Icy roads.
10. Gas bills.

However, in the interests of trying to focus on the positive, I have decided to retitle this post, "What I Like About Winter" (even though I have to suppress a shudder just typing it) and revamp my list a little. So, here's the new, revised list for my cheery, upbeat and positive blog post:

1. Heating pads. I guess I must have really poor circulation or something, because my feet are seriously cold all winter. Even sitting here at my computer, with my feet comfortably encased in socks and sneakers, they are cold. BUT....when I am getting ready for bed, I turn on a heating pad and tuck it between the sheets of my bed to warm things up. When I climb in bed, my feet get their own little tropical island vacation down there with the heating pad. I should rig up little hammocks for them. It's paradise!
2. Long, hot baths. Dry skin is my perfect excuse for locking myself in the bathroom, dosing the bath water with lovely moisturizing oils, and basking in some self-indulgent me time. Throw in a good book (well, not literally, that would ruin the book), and I might not emerge for hours. Ask the neighbors up the road if you can borrow their potty, I'm busy....
3. Bright blue winter skies. It seems like around here, there are more inversion days than clear days, and the continuously smoggy, colorless skies get depressing. But when we get one of those clear days, with the snow-topped mountains looking like brand-new, crisp paper cutouts against a sky so blue it hurts....well, it's breathtaking. There are no words.
4. Getting blown away! Those winter winds are merciless--they find every chink and weak spot in your defenses against the cold. But they also blow away the inversions and clear out the smog. I guess every cloud...er, wind....has a silver lining. I think I'm mixing my meteorological metaphors. Let's move on.
5. The day after winter solstice. I truly HATE how much darkness there is in the winter time. I think in another life I must have been a bear, because I feel a great instinct to hibernate until spring. But the one saving grace of all this darkness is that winter solstice is the worst of it--starting the very next day, we get a smidgeon more light each day. Literally the light at the end of a (dark) tunnel.
6. Seat warmers. Need I say more? What could be better on a frosty cold morning (or evening) than sitting down on a warm seat? I love me some toasted buns.
7. Window defrosters. My car may be dirty all winter long, but at least I can see out the windows! And I don't have to stand outside in the bitter cold scraping them. Technology is grand.
8. ...................ummmmm, I got nothin'. I HATE STATIC ELECTRICITY IN MY HAIR.
9. Long winter naps. Naps are great any time of the year, but when the roads are icy, you might just as well stay inside and snooze. It's a community service, people--think of the untold dangers you could inflict upon yourself and others if you were to venture out on those roads! Do it for your country.
10. Fireplaces. Seriously, cold winter weather demands that you stop whatever you are doing, grab a warm blanket and a good book, and snuggle up before a cozy fire. In fact, it's time for me to do that now. I'm outta here!