Every year, I pledge to embrace winter.

I will not hate the rain. I will plunge into the storm in my new pink rain jacket.

I will escape to the mountains and tromp in the snow.

I will visit skating rinks.

I will drink hot apple cider.

I will curl beside fireplaces with addictive fiction.

Most of these things… never happen. Oh, there are short periods of reading and an apple cider or two. We make it skating once or twice and usually snowshoeing once. But when you think that Vancouver rain lasts from November to April, that’s not a lot of “embracing.” There are still too many dark and dreary days.

So what happens?

Well, mostly soccer happens. For some reason, Vancouverites believe that soccer is a winter sport, so our entire Saturdays are filled with soccer games. Add church and family lunch on Sundays, and there’s no weekend left.

But this year’s going to be better. Because I AM going to walk in the rain. If we have no weekends, then I’m going snowshoeing without my kids during the week. Or we’re all ditching school and work in favour of sunshine and snow. Yes, maybe that.

And more hot drinks, more fireplaces, more books. That seems achievable.

I wish you all the best of winter luck.