Can I Put These Snowpants Away Yet?

We all know by now that winter is not my favourite time of year, but I should probably add how early spring is often in my bad books, too. I mean really, spring… how could you?

What I realise is my expectations of spring are entirely too great each year – come March, I am oh, SO desperate for the dreaded winter to be over, and as the days on the calendar inch closer and closer to the magical twenty-first day of the month, indicating spring at last, I tend to feel crushed when there’s still snow on the ground. I’d like for it to magically disappear in a gigantic sled being hauled away by a unicorn. Or something. Like a spring miracle.

And it ain’t even that lovely fluffy white stuff around now… by this time of year, whatever’s left is the unsightly grey-brown variety, encrusted at the curb’s edge, and packed into glacial eyesores piled high in parking lots and at the ends of driveways. It’s nasty. And, it’s still all wintery.

Being in lovely cottage country at this time of year, when all that whiteness around us makes for a natural tanning bed (SPF for all, please!!) and we can don boots and toques, but ditch coats… that’s kind of great. Those blue skies alone are encouraging.

When I think of SPRING! I want to start skipping and braiding daisy chains, and I think of butterflies and bare legs. The reality is I shake out my kids’ filthy snowsuits at the end of each day and force myself not to wash them yet, because what’s the point and everything is muddy and dripping with dirty, salty water, and I’m not even going to start sweeping up the sand in the entrance up the stairs, because there will just be more tomorrow. Also, it’s still below zero a lot of the time. Also? Skipping haphazardly can easily cause a lady to fall into a pothole the size of Africa around these parts. (Don’t ask me how I know.)

As Christine indicated in a previous post, last year’s March Break looked much like this for just about everyone in Canada. This year, spring is being sucky.

That picture of spring inside my head? The one with the crocuses and daffodils pushing out of the soil, with grass growing greener with each passing day? That picture is covered with snowflakes. And potholes.

I’m so desperate to ditch my brown parka for the season, but it’s just not safe yet. These chilly Montreal winds are still blowing.  *shakes angry fist at sky*

I know it’s coming. (It is coming, right?) A few more days, maybe. I really, really need temps to move upward of two degrees, please. I need to put these snowpants away, once and for all.