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You can't really `hate' winter The Sidekick was grumblin' the other day. "Gawd Ted, I just hate winter," she said, her teeth chattering, "I'm constantly freezing." I pointed out to The Sidekick that the word `hate' was mighty strong-- perhaps she wanted to re-think that statement. "Besides, how could anyone `hate' winter, particularly one like this year, when we've been so spoiled?" I went on, "Geez, we've only really had `winter' during February, and it's the shortest month of the year. "November was a carry-over of the fall, December had almost a spring-like feel, and January wasn't much different." As she hugged her mug of tea trying to draw the last little smidgen of warmth from it, I could see she was putting forth a Herculean effort to refrain from rolling her eyes. "Nope, I'm stickin' to my guns," she said after some thought, "I can honestly say that I HATE winter, and that's final." "But we've been totally spoiled by this year's excuse for winter," I reiterated, "Gawd, I've only had to clear the snow from the driveway three or four times, and it was all in the past three weeks." She wasn't budging on this discussion. "How about you say `I dislike winter' or `I'm not fond of winter' or something less `hateful'?" I continued, "`Hate' is such a nasty word, the source of all the wrongs in the world, the beginning of all the wars, and the cause of so much stress and dissention. Maybe you could say something like `I'm not really too fond of winter, but it can be a pretty time of the year'? That would be much more sensitive." Now The Sidekick ain't exactly alone in her feelings toward the bleak season. Virtually every day I talk to someone who has either just returned from some warm southern location, usually with white sand beaches, or is in the midst of packing to head for one in the not too distant future. Even some of my daughters have more than a few times headed to the Caribbean for a week of rest and relaxation, while being spoiled with exotic food, drinks, warm sunshine and being waited on, hand and foot. You know, I have nothing against anyone taking a winter vacation to somewhere warm, and I can honestly say I have had moments when I've thought about doing it myself. But it wouldn't be cuz I `hate' winter-- more because I could use a change, a rest from the hustle-bustle of my workplace, or the regular chores that crop up around the farm. As I finished trying to convince The Sidekick she was being a bit harsh about winter, it was time for me to leave. I fastened the velcro on my Columbia winter jacket, after having struggled into my snow boots and wrapped my scarf around my neck, I looked around for my gloves, before heading out to the white wonderland outside. "You sure you're dressed warm enough Ted?" The Sidekick said with a little sarcasm, "You don't hate winter, so I'd have thought you'd be in your glory going outside." "Oh no, I don't hate winter," I said cheerfully, in my happiest, sunshiny voice, "It's kinda pretty out there-- so clean and fresh looking with that freshly fallen blanket of snow. "It's just the freakin' cold that I hate..."