Winter.

I sat shivering in my car on Sunday morning as I turned the heater on full (which served merely to blast arctic air in my direction) and willed the 3-inch thick (or so it felt) ice to melt so I could get on my way.

As I sat there, hating the experience and bemoaning the fact that, once again, I had forgotten to leave that vital "defrosting time" to get to work on time, I thought about thankfulness. Winter is not my favourite time of year...but as I sat in the car with a few minutes to spare, could I come up with a few things that this time of year made me thankful for? What are the things that make the cold wait in the car in the morning worth it?

• Hot water bottles. At any time of the day.
• Listening to the Sufjan Stevens Christmas album without having to justify it.
• Crunchy ice grass.
• During the snow last year, my car got stuck in a pile of ice and snow brushed to the side of the road. Seriously stuck. I was attempting to get out on my own, until people kept popping out of the woodwork to help me. Cardboard for under my wheels from their boots, a shovel from their shed, an extra set of hands to push. It was not a fun situation, but I left (finally free!) with a smile on my face, cheered by the sense of community that I had experienced. You don't get that in the Summer...
• Scarves, layers, and wrapping up.
• Hands curled around a warm cup of coffee when you actually NEED warmed up.
• Christmas, and the anticipation of Advent.

So those were my few thoughts before I was on my way, happier and more content with the season we're in. (But it doesn't stop me being glad that the weather has taken a turn for the mild...!)