> Winter is still weeks away and I'm already bored out of my goard. My wife called our daughter's cell phone and she answered while walking down the beach in Florida. It's low 30's here.

Now, being Canadian, I thought "Wow, that's HOT!!" Of course, we deal in Celsius, so that would be about 90-something in your system


> I just heard the weather report which calls for colder, windy weather. At least I don't have to go to work.

The only part of winter I don't enjoy is the daily commute, and the uncertainty of mornings when I don't know
a) How long to let the truck warm up
b) If for sure the block heaters been working
c) What to dress the kids in - is it an extra mittens day?

Of course, being a teacher, I also have the added advantage of not having to go to work if the weather is really nasty. SNOW DAYS!!

>
> So I'm thinking of going to visit my nephew in Palm Springs. Or maybe Mike and George in the Florida pan handle. Tropical animals like me just don't cotton to winter.
> How"Bah! Humbug!"ter

I would hate living anywhere without winter. Think what you'd miss - sledding, skating, snowmobiling, ice fishing, cross-country skiing, hot chocolate with marshmallows, winter hot dog roasts, "White Christmases", the lacy pattern of frost on windows, snow forts, icicles glistening in the sun, and those nights where you can almost reach out and touch the Northern Lights.

I love winter. Best of all, you can dress for it. No matter how hard you try, there's no way to prepare for 90 degrees. -40, on the other hand, with appropriate precautions (load of wood in the basement, lots of warm clothing, extra blanket and candles in the car, indoor activities available if necessary for kiddies) is a snap.

te "What's the opposite of tropical? Polar? animal" ach