Farewell to "Winter"

It didn't look or feel much like Winter this year.

On the one hand we were  blessed to contend with very few soggy mittens and early morning shoveling parties with the neighbors.  On the other hand, we didn't have to contend with soggy mittens and early morning shoveling parties with the neighbors.  I missed  "Where's my hat?", "My snowpants are too short", "These boots leak" and "Hey, Mary, how's it goin'?"

There was a certain charm of the season missing.

And a certain kind of adventure too.

Sometime this past Fall, I promised my beloved that when we built our igloo this year, I would be the first to sleep in it over night.  I think he almost fell out of his chair. It may have been during a game of 500 and he lost concentration for a hand or two, he was so thrilled.  And I meant it. I really would have been delighted to sleep in the igloo and live to tell about it.  If my kids can do it, I can do it.

But, it was not to be.

It pretty much went like this.  "It's snowing, kids."

Kids don all the gear. Run outside.

Snow melts 20 minutes later.

Kids run back in, don rain boots.

Kids scour the yard and house for buckets.

Kids line up buckets under Shellee's garage eave and catch water falling from the roof.

Kids check water in the morning and notice it froze.

Kids check water after school and notice it is again water.

Literally, that was pretty much it.

There were a few skiing outings.  And they went something like this.  "Hey it just snowed  0.5 inches.  Quick, grab your skiis and boots."  Then it was once around the golf course.  Back just as snow is melting.  The report did come back from our littlest gal that her attempt to go down hill was sooooo much fun.

There were a few skating outings.  They were spontaneous as well and sometimes required a call ahead to the rink.  "How's the ice?"  It was just an on again off again relationship with that rink.

One glorious skating outing was one that our area in POP gathered for. It was 26 degrees, sunny, no wind, just as pleasant as can be.  For the first time ever, I watched my agile husband play hockey. My friend Marilyn and I marveled at all the years we had been married to our spouse and neither of us had even seen him play.  That was way cool. A pick up game of hockey is right up there with kick the can (like we used to play back in the day).

There were no sledding outings this Winter. Not a one that I can remember.  But you know, we are still a little gun shy over here in regards to sledding.  Sad to say, but its true.

There were more kite flying outings than there were sledding excursions.  We flew kites on Christmas Day. That was awesome. But weird.

So, Farewell Winter.  It's been intersting.  Hello S P R I N G !!

And Honey, I promise to keep my promise. Next year, when the igloo is built, with all of the snow we are due, I'm in.  For the whole night.

Here are some of our Winter highlights in pictures with some of Christmas thrown in.