It’s too early.
Those three words seem to be the buzz words that are on pretty much everybody lips.
It’s too early for winter.
Its is true. It is definitely. Too. Early!
But, meanwhile as the snow falls and the temperature hovers at a ridiculous all time low that never before ever existed at this time of year (to my knowledge), all of us, living in this new time zone of ‘too early’ have to find ways to cope and somehow find the sunshine. That sounds, even to myself, the eternal optimist, very Pollyanna.
There is no sunshine, only snow and more snow.
For me, who is in all honesty, only minimally affected by winter being too early, it has not, in any way, shape or form, been fun.
It’s been crappy.
Oh, don’t get me wrong.
I tried.
I had three little grandsons come visit us on the weekend, dropping in to their grandparents’ world complete with backpacks, runners and sweat pants. Notice I did not say snowboots, snowpants, mitts, scarves, etc. It was, after all, September.
However, when I looked outside at the snowy landscape, I was determined not to be discouraged by lack of winter attire, plus I wanted to be the kind of grandma who got down and dirty and played games and laughed with them. I wanted to be a fun grandma. I was already tired from a rousing game of hide-and-seek the night before, but undaunted and courageous, I said, “let’s go build a snowman.”
And so I dug up mismatched mitts and hats and found snowboots. It so happened my granddaughter had left a pair of bright pink snowboots in the garage.
“Wear these,” I said to grandson No. 2, who is quite colour blind.
“What colour are they grandma?”
“Blue,” I said, without blinking an eye, hoping little white lies such as mine will be forgiven.
As it turned out the snow, plentiful though it was, was not sticky enough to make a snowman. The snow would not even stick together to make a suitable snowman even though grandson No. 3 appeared at the front door with a carrot for his nose.
Still being courageous, I suggested a snow fort. The children were agreeable, but our snow fort didn’t seem to work either.
Half-heartedly, I laid down in the snow, pretending to be a snow angel, but my heart wasn’t in it. I could tell the boys were losing interest and I didn’t blame them.
It’s too early.
Finally, we brushed the snow off the car and decided to go toy shopping and forget about trying to make the best of a bad situation. Instead, their grandma would just spend money foolishly on stuff they didn’t need.
That seem to make us all feel better.
Today it is snowing again. Like crazy.
And, as I look out of my kitchen window I see the landscape of my yard and other people’s yards buried under a blanket of white. I think about Indian Summer and the way the colours dance and play in a vibrant dance so bright and lively it is almost too wondrous to behold.
And I feel quite sad because I’m thinking it might not happen this year.
Finally, it’s too late!