Guide to Get Through New England Winter

I am a New Englander, born and raised in Providence, Rhode Island. I've lived in the Boston area for more than half my life now and I detest New England winters. I hate the cold. I find it annoying to bundle up with many layers to walk outside, making it "bearable." I loathe the unpredictable winter weather. Wintery mixes, sub-zero wind chills, and the random 60-degree teaser all make for an enjoyable (insert sarcasm) three months. I have Raynaud's syndrome, a circulation disorder that makes my extremities numb. Though I don't have seasonal affective disorder, the early morning and late afternoon darkness feel like evil bookends compressing the day. Over myriad winters, I've endured by making myself socially active despite the cold. After all, misery loves company, right? I've trained for four Boston Marathons in horrendous winter weather, including blizzards where my eyelashes carried chunks of ice during long runs. I survived the unprecedented 100 plus inches of snow in the winter of 2015 cautiously navigating the streets to find suitable parking so I could commute to work by bus. Back in the day, I joined a ski house in Stowe, VT (and I don't like to ski) willingly combining my fear of heights and inept skiing ability to freeze atop Mt. Mansfield.

No need to worry about the meter maids this time

But alas, I've figured out a better way to get us through it.

Follow this three month plan, sprinkled with incremental milestones as you navigate along the wintery road. The plan commences in January since December only has 10 days of winter and the distraction of holiday enjoyment.

January
Since January presents itself at the close of the holiday's and the cusp of new beginnings, use it to reinvigorate. Some ideas are organizing your house, clean your office desk, donate old clothes, find an exercise program, buy a new cookbook and experiment with recipes.  I've noticed that small changes rather than drastic resolutions during this pivotal month make a difference and you will feel recharged. Other ways to get you through:

• Martin Luther King Day Holiday: look forward to a long weekend half way through January
• If you are into football, it's playoff season and the Super Bowl (go Pats!)
• The Golden Globes air early in January. Go see some nominated movies leading up to the ceremony. Spend the day after the Globes reading all the gossip about the after parties and best/worst dressed, which is guaranteed to kill a few hours of the day
• You will notice it getting a tad bit lighter in the afternoon. Since I commute to work, I notice it's lighter when I leave the office to catch my bus. By the end of the month it's light out at 5pm
• Bake bread. I am addicted to the Jim Leary no-knead method and the results do not disappoint. Imaging sinking your teeth into a warm, "crusty on the outside and soft on the inside" slice of goodness

February

• It's a short month
• February brings two big holidays:  Valentine's Day and President's Day. So plan to enjoy another three day weekend and treat your self to some chocolates.
• School vacation week hits around the third week of February. Plan a trip somewhere warm
• By the end of the month, it's light out by 5:30pm
• The Grammy awards are mid-February. I am a sucker for award shows, so having so many of them air during the winter months is really something to look forward to.
• The Oscars are at the end of February. This is a good time to catch up on the nominated movies if you didn't for the Globes. Maybe have some friends over for an Oscar viewing party.
• On a personal note, it's my dad's birthday on Feb 26th so I plan something fun to celebrate with my family

March
March is a tease. The mere mention of "March" foolishly makes me think of spring but the dreary weather tells us it's not.

• Psychologically, remind yourself that you already got through January and February, the meat of winter. Give your self a pat on the back, or have a glass of wine and some chocolate.
• St Patrick's Day is March 17th, smack in the middle of the month. How can you not be happy on this day, especially if you live in the Boston area. Most bars start pouring green beer by 11:00am. Try a traditional Irish dinner of corned beef and cabbage. Check out the South Boston parade. What makes this day unique is the unpredictable weather. Prepare for a blizzard or break out the sunscreen for a scorcher. Either way, have a Guinness.
• Let's not forget St. Joseph's Day on March 19th. I'm from Rhode Island, and I remember wearing a green shirt to school on St. Patty's day, then a red one for St. Joseph's. To properly celebrate Festa di San Giuseppe, head to the North End of Boston for zeppoles, which are pastries fried in the shape of a ring and either topped or filled with yellow pastry cream (custard) and sour cherry jam, then covered with powdered sugar.
• If you are a sports fan, March marks the last full month to see the Boston Bruins and Boston Celtics in action on the ice and on the court for home games at the TD Garden
• March Madness kicks off so start your NCAA betting pool
• Set your clock ahead! The gift of an extra hour of sunlight at the end of the day makes a world of difference.

April
OK, so by now we made it through winter and we've moved into spring. But April tends to be chilly and, once in a while, snowy (remember the April Fool's Day blizzard of 1995?). What you can expect by now is a shift in the air temperature to slightly milder temps. The days are longer.  Here are some of the fun things you can enjoy in April because you made it through!

• Red Sox Opening Day
• The Boston Marathon
• School spring vacation week
• Easter/Passover holidays
• Daffodils in bloom

Ok so maybe the New England winter is not THAT bad after all. What do you do to get through?