Every Single Year

Every single year around this time, all Chicagoans ask themselves WHY.  Why do we live here in this state of uncontrollable and unpredictable weather.  Why do we continually subject ourselves to pulling out our flip flops and capris on the first bright and sunny day, only to curse ourselves and drag our butts back to the closet to pull on our warmest sweatshirt and gym shoes?  Sometimes in the very same day.  Like today.  I left the house this morning with short sleeves on and my cute little black shoes with no socks.  And now I am looking out my office window at the horrendous looking black clouds making their way over our office building. 

We have had our air conditioning on since Tuesday because unlike some of my friends who are stubborn and have some weird unwritten rule that "we will not turn the air on before June 1st", I do not want to wake up in a pool of sweat when it is 80 or 90 degrees outside.  But that's just me.  Why would I not turn on the air and sleep comfortably when it is an option to just push a button and AHHHHHH...comfort.  But now I have a feeling that I will be pushing the other button that says "heat" tonight.  And that pretty much sucks.

But EVERY single year I, as pretty much every other Chicagoan does, will complain a good long time about the weather in our part of the country.  Could we move? It is probably a possibility for some people if you had family elsewhere or a new job or your job re-located you or maybe when our kids are off in college and we are empty-nesters we will consider moving to a warmer, more predictable climate. 

Although when I imagine living anywhere else I am always reminded once again that I do love the changing seasons here.  I love the anticipation of changing seasons. I absolutely love getting to the end of summer when the leaves are turning to beautiful autumn colors and I know a trip to the pumpkin patch is just around the corner.  I love the first fresh snow fall that covers the ground like frosting.  I love to hear the sounds of the birds chirping for the first time in the springtime and to see the flowers and trees blooming after their long hard summer.  And I love knowing that watching my kids splash around in Grammy's pool is just a few weeks away as the spring days turn to summer.

But first, I must complain about the weather and question why I live in Chicago. Because I am a native born Chicagoan and that's just the way we roll.