Growing up, I was lucky to live in an area that experienced a very distinct four seasons.
I loved it because it really broke the year up in terms of weather and temperature.
We had an HVAC furnace because the winters, while nothing compared to way up north, were consistently cold for 3 months at least. Now, I live in an area where I have to flip on the heat a half dozen times to knock the chill off. The winter for me now is just an easy, blissful part of the year. The sun shines all winter long and the temperature during the day is simply perfection. So, I was a bit nervous when we decided to go to my mom’s for Christmas. Just the mere thought of snow and cold gave me pause for thought. Did I really want to do this? But, I figured I could handle it. We bought winter coats because we knew what we were heading into. Upon arrival, it began to snow as if on cue. Then, as soon as I opened my mom’s door, I realized I had forgotten how cold natured my mother actually is. The HVAC was cranked to near 80 degrees. Her advancing years had forced her to get subtropical with her furnace. I wan’t there even 10 minutes before I changed into a comfortable pair of shorts. It was so great to be so warm, wearing shorts but watching it snow from the window. It was almost the perfect combination. However, I knew that I would have to brave the elements a bit during my stay.