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I've come to really dislike winter---especially when daylight savings time hits. It's depressing to have darkness come so early. Neither my husband or I like nighttime driving. As he gets older, he finds it more difficult seeing at night. I'm not much better. So, when winter rolls around, if we have errands to do, we go out when it is light and sometimes it feels like a race to get home before sundown.
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That's an issue also for me: driving at night. I can do it and at one time it never bothered me, but now with glasses I can't stand the glare and get a headache by the time I get home.
You know the conversation: " It's 3 o'clock, we better start getting home before it's dark". If we are a distance away, that conversation may come up at 2:30 pm.
Hubbie goes to work in the dark and comes home in the dark. I worry about him with other ppl on the road, deer running out in the streets, etc. About 6-7 yrs ago, someone hit a moose. The moose and car did not survive, luckily the ppl did.
I think these is the main reasons why I don't like winters anymore. As a kid, winter and snow is fun- that's all. A kid doesn't worry about driving in it, black ice, driving in the dark, sliding in the snow and falling (and when you did, it was fun, or funny when it happened to a friend), or even having life continue- when you got wet and cold, you went indoors, put on your pajamas and watched TV. No worries about making dinner, doing laundry, etc.
And mostly the dark, gloomy sky gets to me. I need light. I don't even have curtains on the windows, except the bedroom. The very few days we have blue sky is so delightful and makes everything look so pretty- even with the snow- so you don't feel so depressed.
Also, as it seems here on city data, many ppl don't go out in the winter for many reasons- so I never see anyone!! I live on a farm. I have 1 neighbor and both ppl work. Town is 3 miles away, but our town really has no shopping; just the bank, PO, convenience store/gas station, and library. Otherwise we have to go 15 miles away, and even then we are talking about small town living here. Going to the doctor or dentist is like, "Oh Boy!! People."
Our best friend was the local librarian (she retired -took an easier job as a home patient aide- and occasionally we still see the family, but again they work). I'm friends with the 2 new librarians also and I look forward to those 2 days weekly picking up DVDs and books. LOL.
Anyway....thanks everyone....it's fun to read your stories....keep the posts coming.
I remember as a kid loving winter and snow. Even into adulthood.
I am born and raised in NY and still live here.
We couldn't stay outside enough. If we got wet, we went home changed our clothes and went back out until dark: sledding, snow forts and snowball fights, ice skating. Even in my teens and 20s and 30s we were always outside, skiing, walking, snowmobiling, skating, etc.
We had large dogs and had harnesses and hooked the dogs to a sled and had the dogs pull our kids and the neighborhood kids around. Again seems like I was always out, even if just going to work, but also I went for walks, etc.
I'm 66 now and can't stand the cold and snow. I sit in the house and read or do housework. Sometimes I will even mention how pretty everything looks. But I only go out when I have to.
When did this start? Why?
Anyone else have this happen to? Was it just simple childhood joy, but now depression, a change in attitude, "old age" or am I just a curmudgeon?
I still love winter. Maybe it's my Scandinavian blood, but when I retire, I am looking at Vermont, not Vero Beach.
That's an issue also for me: driving at night. I can do it and at one time it never bothered me, but now with glasses I can't stand the glare and get a headache by the time I get home.
You know the conversation: " It's 3 o'clock, we better start getting home before it's dark". If we are a distance away, that conversation may come up at 2:30 pm.
Hubbie goes to work in the dark and comes home in the dark. I worry about him with other ppl on the road, deer running out in the streets, etc. About 6-7 yrs ago, someone hit a moose. The moose and car did not survive, luckily the ppl did.
I think these is the main reasons why I don't like winters anymore. As a kid, winter and snow is fun- that's all. A kid doesn't worry about driving in it, black ice, driving in the dark, sliding in the snow and falling (and when you did, it was fun, or funny when it happened to a friend), or even having life continue- when you got wet and cold, you went indoors, put on your pajamas and watched TV. No worries about making dinner, doing laundry, etc.
And mostly the dark, gloomy sky gets to me. I need light. I don't even have curtains on the windows, except the bedroom. The very few days we have blue sky is so delightful and makes everything look so pretty- even with the snow- so you don't feel so depressed.
Also, as it seems here on city data, many ppl don't go out in the winter for many reasons- so I never see anyone!! I live on a farm. I have 1 neighbor and both ppl work. Town is 3 miles away, but our town really has no shopping; just the bank, PO, convenience store/gas station, and library. Otherwise we have to go 15 miles away, and even then we are talking about small town living here. Going to the doctor or dentist is like, "Oh Boy!! People."
Our best friend was the local librarian (she retired -took an easier job as a home patient aide- and occasionally we still see the family, but again they work). I'm friends with the 2 new librarians also and I look forward to those 2 days weekly picking up DVDs and books. LOL.
Anyway....thanks everyone....it's fun to read your stories....keep the posts coming.
I bolded a few things in your post.
Oh, yes---We know that feeling of rushing around to get home before sundown! When the days are longer, that pressure isn't there. Plus, if we wanted to go for a drive to try a new restaurant, we knew that we could eat an early dinner and still get home when it is light outside. Now that we're in an apartment that has places within walking distance, we limit ourselves to those places---assuming it isn't icy outside.
Deer running out in the streets --- that's a big problem here, too. November and December are their mating season so there is real concern about them running into traffic. With my husband not seeing well at night, he has trouble seeing them. I will point out some deer on the side of the road and he will say he doesn't see them. He will then slow down and if there aren't any cars going in the opposite direction, he will put on the high beams.
I know the feeling of not seeing people---and we lived in suburbia. My husband worked from home and some days, he was the only person I talked to all day. Demographics drastically changed in our town so when I went out to do errands, it was rare that I ran into someone I knew.
When we moved into our apartment (that we thought would only be temporary), we discovered that many retirees were living here. They would see us and introduce themselves. We don't feel isolated anymore. Soon after moving here, we both agreed that we wanted to stay here.
In my 20s and 30s I HATED winter. I don't drive and would have to walk 2 or 3 miles to work in the cold. I worried about the electric bills. The skin on my face was always rough and raw and I was always injuring myself slipping on ice.
Now I LOVE winter. I am not the one who has to shovel the stairs. I am retired and do not have a job to walk to.
During the spring and summer and early fall, I am planting, and weeding and canning, and raising young animals, and all sorts of things, and I love that too.
During the winter, I can read a book whenever I want to, make crafts, bake, sit nice and warm by the fire and look at the snow covered trees and mountains outside. We do not worry about the heating bill because of all of the wood we cut and split in the summer. I am not stuck taking care of the animals in the winter. I actually have to fight with my people to do so, because, well, I still slip on the ice and injure myself.
And colds, I think everyone agrees that having a cold in the winter, sipping cocoa and eating hot soup, is way preferable to a cold in the sweltering heat.
Probably if I still worked, or had the job of snow removal I would hate winter with a passion, but as for me, it is a time to relax, I love it.
Winter scenery is alluring. So much natural beauty; majestic.
Yes, winter wonderland scenery is beautiful. We would not want to live in any places without the 4 seasons. Attached are some winter views seen at our previous home in NY (March 8, '18) and yesterday at our new home in Idaho.
I totally understand why it's harder to 'love' winter when one is getting older especially when it comes to snow removal. Whenever there was a big snow storm in NY, it took us 2 days to clear the driveway. We also had to get on the roof at least once per season to clear the accumulated wet and heavy snow. Winter in Idaho especially at our location on the Snake River is much milder. Yesterday was our first snow of the season and we got about 1", most of which melted away by mid day with the warm sun and 40F weather.
About the hazard of slipping and falling in the winter, I has found a pretty safe way to walk on ice always with shoes/boots with good traction. I also walk like a penguin when the ground is like a skating pond! We hike for exercise, photography and birding pretty much year around both in NY and here in Idaho. The only weather which keeps us inside is extreme heat/humidity and severe windchill factor days.
Not a great change here in So. Calif, just in my gas bill at home. Love winter, hail no. Give me the warmth.
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