I Hate Winter!

I hate winter, well winter in Illinois anyway. It is COLD! and gray and ugly outside. The neighborhood is almost dead with its silence and lack of movement. When we see each other outside running to get the mail from our frozen shut boxes we often say "hey! you're home?? we thought you were out of town"
I hate the 5-10 lbs of extra weight I seem to hang onto. Maybe that's due to the kinds of foods we eat in order to warm us up on cold night. As I type this there are brownies baking in the oven. Gotta let the kiddos eat brownies and drink hot cocoa. Mom might have some too of course.
I hate the bigger bulkier clothes and the keeping track of boots and mittens and hats times 5. This "bulk" creates more laundry which is the one thing I hate more than winter. Oh how the laundry multiplies in the winter. I long for the days when wardrobes consist of a swimsuit and beach towel.
I'd so much rather be gardening, growing my veggies, planting flowers, chasing Collin down the sidewalk as he speeds off on his bike. I'd rather be standing in the shallow end of our city pool catching Monica as she leaps off the edge towards me for the hundredth time. I'd rather be sitting at my patio table talking with Tim or Dawn or mom...
I'm counting down the days until spring and ultimately summer - I only hope I don't drown in laundry weighed down by beef roasts and pies all eaten to comfort my winter blues!!