The Raft

I had to be at the doctor this morning for 7am.
I don't usualy roll out of bed until sometime closer to 7:30.
So, here I am, in my jammie pants and winter coat - teeth brushed and bra on but that's it - driving to Bolton to have blood drawn on an empty system.
I was on total auto-pilot about 85% of the way, not even thinking conscious thoughts, just going.  Then, it occurred to me...
It's almost the New Year.

The morning was so cold.  The dashboard read 22F.  The wind was blowing really hard.  It was snowing.  But not the kind of snow anyone talks about, just the kind that sort of falls and blows around all winter.  It won't accumulate, won't even last very long but the air is so cold that the moisture that is in it by default is just freezing up.

I used to dread this stretch of winter.  The post-Christmas blues would set in right around now.  Jay has even surprised me on more than a few New Years with a little Christmas gift, just to perk me up as we take the tree down.
These days, I love this stretch of winter.

I love when our wonderful, joyous, beautiful - hectic, sometimes stressful and tiring - Christmas is over.  I love looking forward to next year and I love being done with this year.
I love looking forward to Abby's birthday.  She enjoys the planning as much as I do and it's so fun to do it with her.  This year she will have her little friends over for her birthday party and she is making and re-making her guest list every day.

I love the New Year.
"New year, new beginnings"...
I will make and break a few resolutions - I'll swear that this time I mean it!!

I love looking forward to Spring, then Summer and then of course fall and winter again...  But I love enjoying the cold, crisp, quiet routine of cold winter days.
Nothing going on, nothing too expensive, nothing too exhausting, nothing stressful - just some quiet time to "be".
Hibernate, maybe...  Decompress.  Relax.
 
Spring has yard work and kicks off summer.
Summer is not stressful but it's busy and active.
Fall starts school and activities.  Then of course all the holidays.
Winter is just time to reflect, plan and enjoy what is.