safety of the seasons

I am not a cold weather lover. This is the time of year I am usually overcome by dread, wondering how I’ll manage yet another season of cold. The voice on the radio tells me the windchill this morning is 39. After the middle of October, telling us the temperature outside just isn’t dramatic enough, we need to hear the windchill. Brrrrrr.

This year however, I have a plan. Just like Anne Lamott’s book, Bird by Bird, I will live through this wintry season, month by month. I will survive another Minnesota winter. Since I’ve lived here all my life, you’d think the season change would move seamlessly for me, but as you might have noticed, nothing in my life moves seamlessly.

So, here it is, already halfway through October. It’s been an amazing October, blue skies and warm breezes mostly. I am still getting by most days not wearing socks. But I’ve gotten my cooler weather clothes ready, you never know when that windchill will plummet. The grocery stores are stocking eggnog, but I won’t indulge until next month.

You see, I can do this. Next month is eggnog latte every day for breakfast, and pumpkin ice cream from Sebastian Joe’s. Dinner out with the family for Thanksgiving. I know it’s not traditional, but I’m beginning to like not having to lug a turkey home and I don’t have to be resentful about doing all the dishes afterwards.

Then it will be December and that month is, well, really magical if you dress warm enough. The trees will be filled with lights and the snow sparkles and dances. The holiday brings with it lunches out and hot toddies in. So, you see I can do this, month by month. I don’t dare go ahead into January, because, well, that is just biting off too much winter for one page. I will get there, resting in the safety of the seasons, content that the seasons still change, that the world still turns and right around the corner, I see spring.