Thursday, November 17, 2005

Baby It's Cold Outside

Last night we had our first dusting of snow for this winter. We had rain off and on during the day and then after dark it turned to snow. The grass, the cars, the roofs were all white but the roads and sidewalks were clear.

This morning was the first time this season that the temperature has been below freezing as I walked the kids to school. They like crunching the ice that forms over puddles. They race each other to be the first one to crunch the ice. I'm not dressing for the cold yet. I'm still wearing a ball cap instead of a toque and I don't even know if I've got a pair of gloves around. It was less than a month ago that we left Florida and now there's snow and ice on the ground.

And in church I'm starting to plan and think about Advent and Christmas. In church I try to let Advent be Advent and not jump the gun toward Christmas but at home I can't help it. I've already started to play carols on the piano. I had a rule about not playing any Christmas music until the First Sunday in Advent or December 1, whichever comes first, but I've broken it for a few years now. My wife was wrapping some presents last night and put a Christmas episode of Vicar of Dibley on the TV to get into the mood. The older I get the less I'm enjoying winter but I like the feel of the cold air, and hopefully the crunch of snow under my feet when Christmas comes.

On the First Sunday in Advent we're doing Advent lessons and carols in church. The Friday after that the Fellowship Group is planning an intergenerational potluck supper and Christmas caroling after that. This Sunday afternoon is Toronto's Santa Claus Parade and we've got a family tradition of watching it on TV with the in-laws. It's all come so fast and just as quickly it'll be over, the earth will be wobbling back on its axis so that the northern hemisphere will be tilted back toward the sun, but for now, well, it's cold outside but I like it.

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