Oh, the weather outside is frightful … You know me, Mr. Winter Hater!

As I type away, we’re having our first big snowstorm of the season. Every year, I try to not get discouraged with winter, but when that white stuff falls from the sky and the roads and walkways turn into an ice rink, it’s hard to feel good about the season.

I think my disdain for winter began at age 10 – before that, everything about it was fine; new sleds for Christmas, snowball fights, building snowmen and snow forts and other carefree, snow-related adventures made winter bearable.

Then one night, skating with other neighborhood kids on Pat’s Pond and playing tag, I hit a bad spot on the ice and went flying onto the banking. Fell on my hand and broke two fingers and severely sprained another. Had to walk home (about 400 yards) through the woods with my skates on because I couldn’t get the frozen laces undone with one hand. That made for a long winter wearing a half cast and not being able to play basketball – or go skating, sledding, etc.

One thing I have changed is not responding to the “winter lovers” who post messages on Facebook about “how lovely” the scenery looks covered in snow. I used to enjoy looking for and taking photos of those “lovely” scenes for the newspaper, but I can’t even bring myself to do that anymore. Let someone else, like my friend, Robert Mitchell, do that.

Winter is kind of like politics – you’re on one side or the other. When we are able to impeach winter, you know how I would vote.

Meanwhile, keep posting those Facebook posts about how great the snow looks. Gives me something to read during the longest and most miserable season of the year.

I’ll try not to grumble anymore about winter until spring.