Waking up to the cold, hard facts

I broke down and switched on the heat this morning after sleeping under a comforter last night. The chilly drizzle that was falling Wednesday afternoon made a quick trip a shivering experience, and the house offered little warmth on my return. Still, I chose to forgo flipping the switch on the thermostat, willing to abide a little discomfort in return for lower utility bills. But after picking up the paper from the water-covered driveway this morning, I found the indoor temperature at 67 just a little too cool for comfort.

After all, it is Oct. 15. It might not be winter yet (officially), but it is well into fall, and this week's cold rain is a reminder that winter is approaching with all of its discomforts. Reports of a colder winter ahead might thrill my daughter, who thinks she'd be happier in Canada or Norway, and my dog, who is shedding summer fur faster than she can grow a winter coat, but I'd be satisfied with the mid-60s sunshine we enjoyed last week. The global warming folks, who are a little embarrassed by the last decade of stabilized temperatures, also might not appreciate a colder winter.

I do look forward to winter, at least until it gets here, because it's a change, and change makes life more interesting. A climate, whether arctic or tropical, that never changes would be dull. By January or February, especially if we have a really cold snap or a week of gray skies and sleet, I'll be ready for spring.

At least this winter should be a little more accommodating of family budgets. Natural gas prices are down sharply, even in Wilson with its notoriously high city-owned utilities. When those winter heating bills do come, they shouldn't be as bad as last winter, even if the weather is colder than normal.