25 Things We Won’t Miss About the Winter

Lack of Daylight

Sure, it’s tough to adjust that first week or so of daylight savings time and no one wants to lose an hour of sleep - but how nice is it to get out of work in the evening and still have a couple of hours of daylight?

Image: Paul Simpson/Flickr

Heating Bills

With rate increases across the board for natural gas and oil and bone chilling temperatures this winter, we’ve all seen our heating bills go through the roof. We’ll finally get a bit of a reprieve (until, of course, we need to crank the A/C when it’s 95 degrees in August).

Image: Images Money/Flickr

Worrying About Loved Ones

It’s bad enough when you’re snowed in and looking at shoveling 2 feet of snow, but what about Aunt Agnes? Worrying about our elderly loved ones slipping and falling on the ice, being able to get out, pay for heating, or simply having enough food and supplies during an extended winter storm is taxing, and something we certainly won’t miss as the weather heats up. 

Snow

Enough said. After a parting sucker punch from Old Man Winter on the first day of Spring, we’ve simply had enough. Some of the massive snowpiles though, look like they’ll be around into May or June before they melt.

Bundling Up

We’ve had the opportunity to show off our chic winter scarves, coats, and hats. Now it’s time to put them in the back (way back) of the closet. How refreshing will it be to be able to step out of the house without an extra 17 layers?

Image: sharyn morrow/Flickr

Stuffy Houses

It’s been so cold this winter, there’s been very little opportunity to “air out” the house. We’re looking forward to getting a nice cross-breeze through the living room and airing out months of “hunkering down."

Image: storebukkebruse/Flickr

Warming Up the Car

Ah, yes. That winter joy of getting out to the car 15 minutes early to “warm it up.” Unless, of course you’re one of the fortunate ones with an automatic remote starter. This activity usually goes hand in hand with the “where the heck did I leave the scraper” routine. Both activities are most likely to occur when you’re running 15 minutes late as it is, because it was just too darn cold to get out of bed.

Image: Chriss Knisley/Flickr

Hibernation Mode

Fill in the blank: “I really need to go to ________ but it’s just too cold/snowy/icy/dark outside to deal with it.” 

This way of thinking for several months has got us in “hibernation mode,” that is, putting off doing anything that requires leaving the house. We’ve already talked about bundling up and the whole warming up the car/find the scraper ordeal. How nice to just run out the door without having to deal with that stuff. 

Image: M Nottage/Flickr

Dead Grass & Flower Beds

One of the most depressing aspects of winter is the lack of color. Grass, when it’s not buried under inches or feet of snow, is brown and lifeless. There’s no vibrant colors in the flowerbeds to brighten up the day. Spring means an explosion of color to go along with those warmer temps.

Image: T England Photos/Flickr

Everybody’s Always Sick

By this point, you're sick of everyone being sick.  You can't remember the last time your nose wasn't running, and you have your local pharmacist on speed-dial.  When you go in for that final check-up, make sure you tell your doctor to have a great summer - and that you'll be back next December.  

Image: The Giant Vermin/Flickr 
 

Driving Everywhere

Trying to save money on gas or just "be active?"  As the New Yorkers would say, "fuhgedaboutit."  Even if you do brave the cold, there's always that one neighbor who doesn't shovel in front of his house.  With spring around the corner, maybe you can finally walk around yours. 

Shoveling Every Other Day

By now it's probably part of your daily routine:  wake up, brush your teeth, eat breakfast...and, shovel 1-2 feet of snow.  Get ready to cross that off your to-do list, and use the free time to finally start reading that book you've been talking about all winter.  You deserve it.

Salt Killing Your Car

You say, "new car," but winter says, "not for long."  There are those diligent few who try to postpone the inevitable, and they make frequent trips to the car wash to keep that paint job looking fresh.  But as the winter drags on they, too, succumb to defeat.  There are some wars that just aren't meant to be won. 

Image: Chad Davis/Flickr

Dodging Snowdrifts

If dodging snowdrifts were an Olympic sport, you'd be the next Michael Phelps.  In fact, maybe you'll suggest snowdrifting as part of the 2018 Winter Olympics.  As the snow starts to melt, you'll find that driving on snow-free roads is uneventful and way too easy. 

Image: Emily/Flickr

Waking up Freezing

Wake up.  It's cold.  Hit snooze.  Repeat.  You set your alarm 30 minutes earlier because you know it takes at least 3 or 4 tries to actually throw off the covers.  And when you finally do, the effort is so exhausting that you're already dreaming about your post-work nap.  Don't think your struggle has gone unnoticed - GoLocal admires your tremendous inner strength.

Image: Corey Seeman

School Cancellations

Sure, that 6 a.m. cancellation call and the Netflix binge-watching that follows, is pretty nice.  But when it finally hits you that you'll be going to school until July, well, you start to think it wouldn't be the worst thing in the world to be a couple episodes behind in House of Cards.

Smokers Outside The Door

Your lung capacity has increased tenfold this winter.  It's become a daily game, seeing if you can make it through that cloud of smoke without taking a breath.  You know what smells better than cigarette fumes?  The sweet, sweet spring air. 

Image: Tina Leggio/Flickr

Dry Skin and Chapped Lips

You reach into your pocket and - no!  You left the chap stick sitting on your kitchen counter!  You spend the rest of the day trying not to laugh, talk, breathe...or basically, anything that will antagonize your cracked lips.  Oh, and forget about shaking hands with that new client - ain't nobody want to touch that crocodile skin.

Image: rubyblossom/Flickr   

Wrong Weather Forecasts

What's the difference between an US Weekly horoscope and a weather forecaster?  The horoscope offers the more accurate prediction of your day.  But then again, the forecaster is spot-on in predicting a third day of sub-zero temperatures.  Of course.    

Hot Drinks Only

In theory nothing's stopping you from ordering that iced caramel macchiato.  But in reality, it's just not possible.  Hot peppermint mochas are so two months ago...you can't wait to sit in the sun, slurping a refreshing iced beverage.

Image: Frederico/Flickr

Kids singing Frozen songs

No, you don't want to build a snowman.  In fact, you want to file a complaint with Disney for writing such a catchy winter song.  And if you have kids - well, by now you probably have your own theories about what really happened to Elsa and Anna's parents.

Image: Loren Javier/Flickr

Wind tunnels

You know the feeling all too well.  A pit in your stomach as you see those two buildings, that flicker of hope that maybe, just maybe, today there will be no wind, and then - BAM!  It may take time to stop that instinctive flinching, but don't worry:  you have all spring and summer to unwind.

Image: Paul Hudson/Flickr

Wearing snow boots

...every single day.

No, they didn't match your outfit.  Yes, you wore them anyway.

Facebook from Florida

You can't go on social media without seeing that one of your friends is lying out on a Florida beach.  And when they come back unseasonably tan, you just smile and nod as they talk about how beautiful the weather is down South.  You already have an Instagram caption ready for your first beach snapshot...get ready to use it!

Winter

Duh.​