Here it is! The precise moment in the winter time that I begin to tire of cold weather. In the fall, when the temperatures begin to drop, and the snows have not yet begun in earnest, we have fresh memories of the heat of summer, and the anticipation of snow. It has always been my opinion that cold weather without snow is useless. Who needs it? I mean, really! At least with snow, we can go outside and play. Have us some child-like fun. But the major aspect of the onslaught of winter that keeps me sane is football on the weekends. It can be the nastiest weather outside, and I couldn't care less, because I can sit comfy and warm in my hovel and watch the clash of teams as they brave the very elements that I try to avoid.

     But today, in the first week of February, I have "hit the wall". I hit the wall every year about this time. Here in the Rocky Mountains, spring is a long time coming, and autumn starts before the Back-to-School sale at WalMart. We like to say in Montana that we have two seasons--winter and July. A large part of the looming wall is brought about by the Super Bowl. It marks the end of one the best reasons to stay inside, cozy and warm. Once that's over and done with, I guess I'll just have to work on indoor projects around the house. Maybe I'll rearrange the living room, clean out and organize my drawers, closets, and storage. Pretty much anything but outdoor activities.

     Early in the season, if the snow is deep enough, the lure of skiing is strong enough to draw me outside. But by February, I'm tired of bundling up, fumbling with keys and whatnot with gloves on my hands, shoveling snow off my walk, digging my car out so I can drive the blamed thing, and--I really hate this one, anyone else?--scraping the ice off my windshield. Especially when it's that hard, thin ice that's stuck so fast to the glass, that you have to give it some serious elbow grease to get that one, insignificant little inch-wide swath.

     I begin, every February, to daydream of hot summer days, running around in shorts, playing disc golf (if there are any other disc golfers here, please comment!), floating the local rivers with an occasional jump into said river, or camping out, sitting around the fire with a cooler full of beer. Even the prospect of washing my car or truck gives me happy feelings!

     So, if any of you know and understand just what I'm saying, join me in watching Super Bowl XLll with perhaps a bit too much gusto, cheering maybe a bit too loudly, knowing that Punxatawny Phil is likely to spite us. But let us not forget that spring is coming, and following that, summer. Good times are coming, kids! Here at the proverbial wall, I hope Al Gore is right. I could use a little of his warming right now.