I Want A Man With A HUGE . . .

snow blower and he'd better know how to use it.

What did you think I was going to say?

Perverts.

It turns out size does matter. I've lied in the past.

Winter Solstice

Tomorrow is the first day of Winter, also known as the Winter Solstice. It is also the shortest day of the year, which means that starting on December 22nd, each day will start to get longer.

Now the first day of Winter might not be such a big deal but for the fact that it means we have 3 months of Winter left. That means that despite the horrible weather we've already experienced, we've got a hell of a lot more to come.

I've been done with Winter since the day after the first snow just about 2 1/2 weeks ago.

And that's where my challenge comes from: How will I ever survive the next 3 months?

Discuss.

THIS is "Out Like A Lamb"?

When we were little, we all learned that March "comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb."

Spring arrived on March 20th and since then, the Chicago Area has been hit with one snow storm and, despite the calendar saying it's March 27th, is about to get hit with more snow.

According to the National Weather Service:

The National Weather Service forecast for today calls for periods of rain and snow, becoming all snow after 1 p.m. The high for today is 37, with northeast wind around 15 mph. Total daytime snow accumulation of around an inch is possible.

Tonight, there's a 40 percent chance of snow. The low will be around 26. North northeast wind between 10 and 15 mph.

According to forecasters, the total accumulation will be between 1 and 3 inches.

The Weather Channel says that by 3:00pm, Arlington Heights has 100% chance of snow. Yippee.

I don't care how much snow we get, I'm not shoveling.

UPDATE 12:33pm: UUUUGGGHHHH!!!!!!! It's snowing! One of my friends just suggested that I stay in and snuggle under the blankets in front of the fireplace. If I could find the fireplace, that oddly the Cook County Assessors' Office insists I have, I might do that. Except that I have a lot of work to do today, so really, that's not gonna happen. Even if I had a fireplace.

It's Here! We Made It To Spring!

Ah . . . . crisp fresh air. Sunshine. Blue skies. Melted snow. And my calendar says that today is the Spring Equinox. I made it through the endless winter of 2007-2008.

Taking out the garbage this morning, I noticed that the ground was no longer frozen solid. That means I will soon be seeing my tulips popping up. And after that, the hastas will be back. And, of course, the rabbits too. And the perennials plants in my backyard garden, too. I honestly don't even remember what I planted back there. Watching all the plants appear will be like Christmas morning!

It's about to warm. It's not yet warm, but somehow the 32 degrees didn't feel so cold today.

And the Cubs open at Wrigley in 11 days.

As I write this, my neighbor Louise is outside arranging her fake tulips in her rock garden. Really. She put away the fake winter flowers and wooden reindeer and snowmen this morning and brought out the spring flowers. Yes, her rock garden has fake flowers, but the rest of her yard will soon be overflowing with real flowers - rose bushes will line her driveway and there will be too many different types of flowers in the back to name. She must be almost 90, but she'll be out there every morning weeding, planting, watering, and generally tending to her gardens. She inspires me. Seeing Louise outside tinkering is a sure sign that Spring is here.

I know it's supposed to snow tonight and we may get up to 10 inches, but I'm still grateful the calendar says Spring. That means the snow and muck can't last all that long.

There's Only 3 Days Til Spring . . .

Like Dorothy chanting "there's no place like home" towards the end of The Wizard of Oz (a movie I have never really liked), I find myself chanting "there's only 3 days til Spring" today as I look outside my window to see blowing snow.

All together now, "there's only 3 days til Spring."

Now if only I had some Ruby Slippers to tap together.