Anticipation or dread of winters arrival?

[greenpassion]

I don't know about some of you out there, but I have to admit that for the first time in 40 years, I am really dreading winter coming. I live in Vermont, and have worked at the same place for 21 years now. I have to drive 26 miles each way to work, on 91, and am NOT looking forward to the icy snowy roads. My driveway is a rather long one, on an uphill grade, and I have no neighbors nearby, so when the plow guy doesn't get to my place before 11pm ( I get home around 12:15 am) I then have to park down on the road, and am sometimes plowed in by the town trucks! I am used to all this, but maybe its because I'm getting older that I am appreciating the struggle less and less. Then there's the drive on 91 to or from work during snow storms, little to no visibility, and the windshield freezing! One would ask, why not move? Well, I've been in my house for 35 years, raised my 2 daughters there (by myself literally) and well, I can't imagine starting over someplace else. On a positive note, I have acres of wooded trails all around my house, hills, etc, and one of my dogs, Loki, loves to go up into the woods year round with me, and this has been a blessing beyond comparison when I'm sick with cabin fever!