Blue Bay Cottage: Still Winter

Sunday, January 20, 2013

Still Winter

January, February and March are interminably long months. The excitement of cooler weather ("sweater weather") in October and November and the eager anticipation of snow in December quickly fades once the new year begins. At least, this is true for me.

It doesn't help that every store and ad I see is behaving as though winter is over and we're about to "Step into Spring!" or "Slide into Summer!". Um, it's mid-January in the Midwest. There will be no stepping into spring for at least another six or eight weeks, and even then it will likely be more like stepping into mud and rotted leaves that blew into the yard after the last leaf pickup of the year. I opened the Target ad today and was greeted with an entire page featuring all their new bathing suit styles with the caption "kick off swim season with all women's suits on sale!"

I appreciate your enthusiasm Target, but the high on Tuesday is 13 degrees. Also, it's January. There are approximately four states in the entire country who are experiencing anything even close to "swim season."

Nevertheless, seeing signs that winter will eventually end and that spring and summer will eventually be here is encouraging and exciting. This time of year always makes me want to plan getaways to warm and sunny places. It makes me want to window shop online at all of the new spring clothing collections and cute sandals. I want to buy flowers and put them everywhere, plant a garden, and hear the sound of lawn mowers on the weekends. This is probably weird to admit, but sometimes in the middle of the long winter I'll put sunscreen on just because I love the smell and it reminds me of summer. I try to buy simple skincare products but I never buy unscented sunscreen :)

So what is the point of this meandering post? Vacations. Let's take one. Bora Bora perhaps?