[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GWlGsP1MHiIThe one aspect I probably really hate about winter is the fact that I leave my house when it’s still dark and only return when it’s dark again. I can deal with the cold (after all, that’s what wool is for), I can deal with fewer days of sunshine and I can deal with my garden looking all grey and brown. But spending days without ever seeing my rooms in daylight really drags me down. This is especially true on a bright and sunny day like today, when I keep staring outside at work, but know all this brightness will be gone by the time I get home.
What do I do about this? I try to enjoy the daytime hours during weekends as much as I can. While I do save energy by switching off the lights in all the rooms I’m not in at present, I don’t hesitate to light the place where I am brightly. And I surround myself with even more wool (next to light, warmth brings the most comfort to me). I try not to eat more chocolate than usual.
What drags you down during the winter months, and what do you do about it?
– Rike Horstmann
High school teacher. Soccer fan (Werder Bremen, yeah!). Knitter and book-binder. Devotee of mathematical puzzles. German.
While I dislike leaving and arriving home in the dark, except for about four months or so, it is a common occurence. I work 12 hour days, but I am away from home for 14 hours. I leave home at 0600 and don’t get home until 2000.
What I dislike the most is how brown everything is.
But can I admit, that there is nothing I enjoy more than an excuse to say in bed and read. So when it cold, rainy or snowy outside in the winter months (and I am not working) I say let it snow.
Right now, it’s not too bad; but in the middle of winter here in the Detroit area, the sun doesn’t shine a lot. So we have a lot of gray and cloudy days. Snow can brighten it up a bit, but; to me, that’s almost sadistic waiting for the snow to do that. The only good snow to me now as I get older is a light dusting and it has to “sparkle.” Then it’s beautiful and I can tolerate it, but no more than 1/2 inch to an inch.
My remedies for cold and dreary weather is to snuggle in a bit more, hopefully with some books, and sometimes TV. My husband and I make sure we go out at least once a day to prevent our turning into couch potatoes. We enjoy eating out or going for a beer at night. I meet regularly with friends and so does he.
Another remedy is Spring itself. I look forward to it more and more each year. LOL
I find it annoying when I have to turn on my lights at 9:00 in the morning. :) But the turning leaves right outside my window do bring in some light. Otherwise, I just deal with it. I think it would be great if we could move to the southern hemisphere from November to March.