Anyone else?
Please tell me I'm not the only one.
I never used to hate winter. I grew up in NJ, and I enjoyed the changes of the four seasons. At my last teaching job, I even had to stand out on "carline" at the end of the day for about fifteen-twenty minutes and make sure the kids were not run over as they loaded into their cars. I endured it.
I lived in Prague for a year, and winter was dreadfully long and cold over there, not to mention all forms of transportation were mass, and I'd constantly be waiting for a bus, tram, or metro, or simply walking from Point A to Point B. I endured it.
But the Poconos? I'm weary of it.
Please don't think I am complaining here. I am not trying to. But facts are facts, people. Caleb and I have become shut-ins. Hermits. Recluses.
Today, for example, I had a prenatal appointment. Since it was going to be SO COLD (like wind chills of -16), and Caleb was a touch sick for a couple of days, yesterday I belabored the issue over and over again, and finally decided to reschedule. That doesn't sound like a big deal, but it is when my midwife is only at the office down the street on Fridays, and she is off next Friday, leaving me stuck with one of the doctors I don't like next week. (There is another office where she works, out near the hospital, but I save that for when I really have to go there, like the ultrasounds. Who wants to drive fifty minutes when you don't have to?)
Meanwhile, Caleb has been fine today, but still, the air was bone-chilling, take-your-breath-away cold this morning, so I guess I'm still glad we avoided it.
The other reason we stay in so much is the fact that the driveway is so slippery, and he is soooo hard to carry when we are both billowing out in our winter coats, and let's not forget, there's a belly to add to the mix now, too. We cannot park in the garage, because poor Brian already has so much driveway to shovel, that parking in the garage would only give him more work to do.
Most days have either been too cold (my twenty-two year old car takes forever to warm up), or it has been snowing, or whatever. (On the radio this morning, even the plow guy was stating, even though this is how he makes money, that even he has had enough. So, thank you, I guess I'm not alone.)
One day when we emerge from our cocoons, I think Caleb and I both will need to reacquaint ourselves with the world. (And perhaps relearn some social skills.)
I'm uploading two photos here from last month... Caleb in the snow with Daddy. It was a pretty deep snow, and Caleb just couldn't stand upright with his little legs. He loved it, though! (I, however, did not like the fact that his gloves kept coming off, and I was worried about those little hands freezing.)
