Prisoner of Winter

It's really not that bad in my region of the country. It's two degrees above freezing now. I'm just so done with it. My mother-in-law just asked me on the phone how soon I would be planting my garden. I told her innocent San Diego ears that the ground is still frozen solid. She's asked me that same question the last two times we've talked. Then she tells me that she planted a tomato plant today. Our garden centers are not carrying anything garden-related yet; this is something she can never relate to. She told me it will be spring in two more weeks. I held in the words, "Yea, in San Diego!"

We really do not have spring here in Chicago. They call it spring, but we just go right from winter to summer. Well, there is a season that I like to call mud, in between, but it's short-lived and not very pretty. But the thing is, I heard a flock of geese fly over today and I thought, "I love living here." It's so different from Southern California and I appreciate the differences. So even though this blip is titled Prisoner of Winter, I don't honestly feel that way. They say it builds character to deal with harsh winters, no wimps allowed. Who are they, anyway? Bet they live in San Diego.