The cooler months have always been an emotional roller coaster for me. Don’t get me wrong I love fall. It arrives at a time when I have hit the point of beach and sun overload and am ready for that cool, crisp air and some Shipyard Pumpkinhead Ale…..(rim sugared please) to come my way! I am 50% done with turning over my summer clothes to Fall and Winter clothes. It is like reconnecting with an old child hood friend after fifteen years and picking up where you left off. We have so much catching up to do Mrs. Pea coat, Miss Black Riding Boots, and my good friend Wool Plaid Mini! Mr. Mad Bomber Hat no matter how much my friends give me a hard time I will never let you go. I know you are not the best looking guy but I love you for the person you are and always treating me well.
By the time Thanksgiving arrives the weather gets a little dodgy for my taste. I hit a high in September into October after only being on the ride for a brief period as I sweep around corners increasing in speed. I love the thrill of my stomach turning. The holiday season arrives and I enjoy every moment as I admire the decorations, lights, and music, while spending time with those I love ….not realizing I have started to etch up a giant slope. The air is no longer cool and crisp it has become BLOODY COLD. After New Years nothing good happens for a while with the exception of my husband’s birthday. The weather becomes cold, grey, and windy, and I prepare for the stomach turning decent. Speed increases each second as I scream at the top of my lungs as I speed down the hill. Just when I think it’s over I see the upside down loop of February and March where my heart gets lodged in my throat as it beats like a jack hammer in my body. I experience harsh windburn thinking I may not make it through this ride as I pray it will be over soon. The thrill has gone too far. Finally by April the rollercoaster is slowing down and the ride is over. My body is shaking like I have never imagined as I hear a click and get out of my seat. This year I have made myself a promise to stop this rollercoaster shenanigans/emotional abuse I put myself through during the New England cold months. No more feeling depressed laying in fetal position hoping spring will come sooner. It won’t. The only thing that will come are five extra pounds I didn’t ask Santa Claus to add to my Christmas list. Instead of a rollercoaster ride I am going to explore different ways to deal with the harsh cold by embracing these crisp, cool, and eventually bloody cold months and enjoying what they have to offer. As Tim Gunn from Project Runway says “Make it Work”. Here is what is on my list that I am doing to “Make it Work”.
Explore the trails of Whitney and Thayer Woods, Norris Reservation, Weir River Farm, and Worlds End
Learn how to make croissants, pasta, and bread from scratch- thanks to my great college friend who is now a personal chef.
Hike, trail run, snowshoe, and cross-country ski- trails, bike baths, and golf courses in Scituate, Cohasset, and Hingham
Head up north to ME and VT for a couple of weekend trips to do some downhill skiing
Pond skate
Cook nice dinners
Theater- See a show at the Company Theater in Norwell
Go to the movies- at the Mill Wharf or Loring Hall
Organize my photos into scrapbooks
Read some academic books -(I save the trashy ones for summer)
Explore some of the Winter Farmer’s Markets in Massachusetts
Work out indoors- thanks to past Christmas grab gifts of DVDs and on demand
Take a cooking class
Renew my membership to the Scituate Cohasset Newcomers Club- (socializing and meeting others is always fun)
Enjoy the fireplace- while sipping on some hot apple cider
Dates nights to some cozy restaurants in the area- Riva, Scarlet Oak Tavern, The Barker Tavern to name a few
Skype- Figure out how to Skype my parents in Florida
Boston- Get on the train at Greenbush and have some city fun in Boston
Visit friends in other cities
Beachcomb
Enjoy some chowder at the Mill of TKs
Check out some of the new show of the season- while I wait patiently for the next Madmen season….
Make homemade doggy treats
So I will start off on the right foot by going out and buying some Mums to make the porch look festive and a bottle of pinot noir to start off with a toast. As I raise the glass I toast to the cooler, crisp, and eventually bitter cold weather coming our way with sincere optimism. Tim Gunn- thanks for the inspiration. Although roller coaster rides were at one point fun for me I know longer find them enjoyable. Goodbye to rollercoaster rides and hello to something new.
Laura Kelley
Twitter: ScituatedinScit
