I've been part of the chorus of  "Let's just get this winter over with!"  and then this picture entered my facebook feed today:













And I realized it's not just my physical location I can change  (though south would be nice about now) it is my mental location.  So that is what I've set about working on today.  As part of the general winter malaise, my housekeeping has joined the funk.  Before work this morning I made a list of things I wanted to get done. when I got home.  My dishes are now finished and I have three loads of laundry clean.  None of these things are going to make the skies less gray or the weather any warmer, but they can help me change my outlook.  They are small ways I feel like I can take back the total  "I don't care" blahs that have overtaken my world lately.

A grade school librarian I talked to today said the kindergartners in her school are tired of this winter too.  Usually they love her special storytimes, but today they just wanted to hide under the table and create havoc.

On an epicurean note, my family and I had some incredibly delicious pizza tonight at Pembroke Bakery.  I'd love to see this become a regular Friday night feature!

Tomorrow I'll explore Japanese food with any of the teens who happen into the library, then I'll come home and see what further adventures may await.

I'm sometimes asked if being car-free limits our family's ability to go out and do things or have a social life.  Our outings do have a different cast to them, but I wouldn't say we have given up anything we really want to do.  Just looking back over the last month, we've been to activities at the local science museum, a Freedom Riders exhibit and civil rights- era sing-in at the local art museum, an incredible production of Oliver! put on by the local university and youth theater, Afghani story and song sharing, Komets hockey game, and our regular Wednesday dinner, kids choir practice, and social gathering at church.  And that is in the midst of winter.  It generally expands as the weather warms up and the sun shines longer.

Then there are the homeschool activities.  But those can wait for another post!