It's Not that Far Away... Really!

            My son has the insidious on-again-off-again stomach virus that seems to visit this house every year. After mentioning it on Facebook, my sister remarked that I must be looking forward to spring. I hadn’t really thought about it much—but yes! Now that she mentioned it I keep fantasizing about all the joyful things warm weather can bring. I can’t wait for winter to melt into a brief New England spring and then blaze into summer. So instead of a rant about how I’m so tired of the smell of Lysol and making sure I have Saltines, Jell-o, and bananas in the house, this post is about the things I’m looking forward to when the weather warms.

            Vegetables from our garden. I never know what that patch of dirt is going to yield. Some years it’s nothing but zucchini, but last year we had pounds of cherry tomatoes and green peppers until October. Not to mention sugar snap peas that were so sweet they never made it from the yard into the kitchen before they were consumed. 

Zucchini: full of vitamins and fiber. Plus they make great weapons!

            Warm showers. Warm when you get out that is. I can’t wait until I can take a hot quick shower without trying to time it for when the radiators kick in.

Grilling. I love the winter comfort foods—chili, chicken pie, lasagna, beef barley soup with crusty bread. But I can’t wait until dinner is just a matter of grilling some marinated chicken and tossing a salad. With crusty bread of course—that's perfect in any season.

            Bare feet, sandals, no wool socks. The number one thing on my Christmas wish list this year was wool socks. Really. That’s how glamorous I am. I hate it when my feet are cold. Right now I’m wearing wool socks AND fleece slippers. A few months from now I’ll be barefoot in the house and wearing Tevas or flip-flops outside.

            Walking. I used to sneer at people who drove their kids a block or two to the bus stop. Encouraging childhood obesity and bad for the environment—what kind of parents do that? Parents like me. I don’t mind walking to and from the bus stop. It’s the standing around waiting in 10º degree temperatures that I mind. Not to mention the fact that the sun setting at four o’clock really brings me down. I can’t wait to take my afternoon stroll to meet my little guys and hear about their day while we look at the ducks and turtles at the pond on our way home.

            Wearing fewer clothes. Get your mind out of the gutter. I just mean fewer layers. Trading in my long johns, jeans, turtle necks, sweaters, jackets, boots, hats, gloves, and scarves (did I mention wool socks?) for  a pair of shorts, a tee shirt and my sandals. The only other layer I’ll need is sunscreen.

            Open windows. My house doesn’t smell like sickness exactly. But it does smell like Lysol and Resolve carpet cleaner plus a layer of Yankee Candles “Fresh Linen”. It doesn’t smell bad. It just smells like I’m trying to hide something. I can’t wait for a nice warm day to just air this place out!

Is it summer yet???

              

            The beach. Now we’re talking about the good stuff. Load up the minivan with towels, snacks, sunscreen, buckets and shovels. Swing by Dunkin’ Donuts for an Iced Coffee and meet the cousins at the beach. Explore tidal marshes and catch minnows and crabs. Build sandcastles and knock them down. Watch the kids chase each other around with seaweed. And the bonus prize? Children who are exhausted and ready for sleep.

            What are you looking forward to when the “livin’ is easy”?