Wednesday, January 21, 2009

When New England Is At Its Most Frigid

If my parents ever doubt my overwhelming devotion to them, they need only look to exhibit A:

I am still living in Connecticut.

They are the only things tying me to this godforsaken suburban box where winter lasts for 7.5 months and you can buy a 1000 sq ft split-level for roughly the price of the South Dakota governor's mansion.

I'm bitter because it's cold. I get this way toward the end of every January, though my inability to deal with it gets worse with each passing year. I am seasonally affected and dis-ordered. I can't get myself together. I would like to sit in the bathtub beneath a heat lamp and read for the next three months straight, but then my skin would fall off and the authorities would probably take away my kids. Instead, I put on two sweaters and turn on every light in the house. I do the best I can. But my February best is nowhere near good.

The Partner and I stay here because of our parents. It's not just that The Boss and Number Two need babysitters; the truth is that we all genuinely appreciate the company of grandma and grandpa, nana and poppy. There's no sacrifice involved. We're lucky to have them and we take full advantage of this time we share.

Still, in the depths of winter, when my lethargy allows me to do nothing but dream, I have visions of barrelling south on I-95 in a Penske truck that will keep going till the thermometer hits 70. I imagine getting out, stretching my arms in the rising heat, and reducing to tank top and shorts. All around are people in a similar reach, tied to nothing but the sun.

9 comments:

Whirlwind said...

Me too, me too....

Anonymous said...

What is this, NaBloPoMo? This has to be, what, you're seventh or eighth posting in a row?

Binky said...

Boz--excluding weekends and holidays, I just may be on some kind of roll.

Anonymous said...

People that don't live in New England or Upstate NY don't get it. They don't get that even though the sun is shining, the temperature can actually still be below zero. And it's just so depressing...I used to love this weather and skiing - but now that I can't ski as much and because it seems to have gotten colder, I feel awful.

Anonymous said...

I figured out how to beat the New England winter blues this year!!! Here's my secret... convince yourself that you LOVE the snow. It's as easy as that. Think, I am so cool and sporty and I love the freaking snow because I am that cool. I have not yet wished it were warmer all winter!! It's the secret to life!

Anonymous said...

You are ignoring the fact that your husband detests the idea of living anywhere south of NYC. If I had my druthers, we'd take that Penske truck north to some land in VT or NH with a lake near a ski resort.
BTW, my word verification is "loodices". Coincidence?

Binkytowne said...

Yes Yes Yes. I am desperate for green grass and leaves on trees. Sigh.

Anonymous said...

I live in North Alabama and I hate the cold even there. I am in Miami now for a conference...yesterday it barely made into 60's. People were bundled up just like they were at Christmas in Gatlinburg. But today is a little better but I still have on long pants...most everyone does. No bikin's but a few sundresses but the bodies in those sundresses have goose pimples on them and they are shivering...ha, pisses me off. I wanted nice warm weather.

Anonymous said...

I think the big problem is that after Christmas and New Years, you can't help but notice it's cold and there is nothing to distract you from that. My former boss called the months Nov through March "stick season" - and that is totally the way it is in CT!!