This winter seems to be dragging on forever. I cannot wait
for it to end. I cannot wait for spring to come, bringing with it sunshine,
light, warmth, flowers, birds, garden life, and all the other nice things
associated with spring and summer. Me, I’m no winter girl. I like living in a
place with four seasons, but this year it feels like the only season has been
winter, winter, and more winter. It’s been nonstop cold and snow since
November, and this past summer was fairly lousy since it rained a lot. Enough
already. Bring on the sunshine……
I suppose I shouldn’t complain, but I’m entitled to at least
one negative comment before I return to the ‘Ok, this is how it is’ demeanor.
There’s nothing to do about the weather, I know. My mother used to say that all
the time, and she’s right. I don’t think I ever heard her complain about the
weather. She went out walking in rain or sunshine, snow or sleet. She was a
role model, but it’s tough to emulate her. Sometimes I wonder how she did it,
how she stood it, without complaining. She so rarely complained.
I usually don’t mind winters. But when there is snow on the
ground all the time, when the sidewalks are icy and treacherous, when the roads
and bicycle paths are the only travel paths prioritized, then I get sick of it.
I think I have a touch of cabin fever this year. Cabin fever “is an idiomatic term for a claustrophobic
reaction that takes place when a person or group ends up in an isolated or
solitary location, or stuck indoors in confined quarters for an extended
period. Cabin fever describes the extreme irritability and restlessness a person
may feel in these situations” (Wikipedia).
I can relate to the restlessness. I am used to being
outdoors, to walking a lot, to working in my garden. I cannot do these things
now. Walking here in Oslo is treacherous since many of the sidewalks are not
cleared properly; this is true not only of this winter, but of past winters. No
one picks up a shovel to clear a path for anyone. They all wait for the city
officials to organize it. I think the city officials don’t give too much of a
damn about how treacherous the sidewalks are. They care more about the fact
that the bicycle paths are cleared, for the small number of people (mostly the
Foodora bicyclists) who use these paths. Ah well. My consolation is that New
York is not having a much better time; it too has had a record amount of snow,
and another storm is predicted for the Hudson Valley this week. As is another
storm for Oslo. Let winter be over soon, please.
