Dec 21: Winter Sampler

We're all sampling winter right now, at least on the East Coast and in the Midwest. Even here in South Florida - in our own distinct way. As the holidays roll on and the winter solstice arrives, the cold bluster feels appropriate. Of course, "cold" is a relative term. In New York City, temps will be in the 20s and 30s today. Same thing in Chicago. In Boston? Cold means colder, with highs in the 20s, lows in the teens. Here in Fort Lauderdale, cold isn't quite the same thing. Our nippy high today is expected to reach only 69 degrees, with a low of 56. Brrrrrrrrrrr. Tomorrow, still chilly: the forecast high is just 75 F. After that, things will heat up to around 80 by Christmas. I'll try to keep warm through this bitter snap.

Haha. I hope you're laughing, or at least smiling, even if you happen to live in a truly cold New York or Chicago or Boston or wherever else up there. Assuming you have electricity to power your computer, that is, and aren't too busy shoveling out a pile of snow. Believe me, I know how it goes. I lived in the frozen north for many, many years.

But in the unfrozen south, life is different. It's easy in lots of ways, sometimes almost too easy. So it's lovely to feel a bit of briskness in the air from time to time, if only as a reminder that living isn't so comfortably pleasant everywhere in the world. I went out for a delightful walk early this morning just to catch some of those chillier breezes before the sun appeared for the day. I'm guessing the temperature was in the high 50s when I set out for the local marina, cool enough that I wore a sweatshirt and light jacket. It felt great to wander the quiet streets around my Dania Beach condo, enjoying the Christmas decorations that sparkled from the homes and feeling just a touch of winter on the wind. At the marina, I walked along the wooden dock and chatted with several folks who were working on the yachts tied up there. By the time I got back home, about an hour later, I was ready for some hot coffee and oatmeal and the newspaper. A lovely morning, all in all. I read the articles about the huge snowstorm up north and the airline delays caused by it and all the other hassles folks are coping with after winter's arrival. And I admit that I was feeling a touch smug, and lucky, that I didn't have to deal with that mess this year. In Fort Lauderdale, winter comes in bitesize pieces, just enough to satisfy my occasional appetite for something other than tropical humidity. But like a craving for chocolate, the appetite passes after it's fed - and I'll be eager for the warmth of summer when it returns in a few days.