Wintry weather has certainly settled in, much to my chagrin. If only the snow had stayed at bay, I’d have bundled up and headed out to enjoy a pair of extra-long walks, since my boss was out of the office the past two days.

But, that was not my agenda at all.

Yesterday morning I shoveled the dregs of Sunday’s snowstorm, a sloppin’ big mess that was really heavy because the snow was filled with so much moisture . It sure was a good cardiovascular workout, and, as a result, my bedtime was about the same hour as when I was in first grade.

This morning, I figured I’d better take the car for a run while the going was good. As to snow and ice, I’m a white-knuckle driver, but the roads were clear and dry, so off I went.  Earlier this year, after the car’s “big fail”, I was told by the mechanic that I simply had to drive more – that walking was great for me, but the car needed to be driven more than 250 miles a year.  I heeded his advice, and have been diligent and driven 621 miles so far this year … only 114 miles less than  I’ve walked so far in 2016.

When I returned from my little ride, I thought I’d attempt a walk. Well, it was a short promenade because the City sidewalks for a mere four houses on the entire block were clear to the cement, and, peering beyond those houses, I could see icy patches galore, and walking in the street didn’t hold much appeal.

So, I got inside the house, peeled off all those extra clothes and went downstairs and hopped on the exercise bike for a few miles to release all that pent-up energy.

There’s no use bemoaning this extreme cold which has descended on us and will linger ‘til the weekend when the snow machine cranks up again.

Well, we live in Michigan after all.

My friend Ann Marie, who is also an avid walker, sent me a couple of interesting words she found while perusing the “Old Farmer’s Almanac” last week. Ann Marie was probably wondering just how many days she would be using the treadmill versus walking outside.  The question she posed to me, was if I had an aversion to these words as much as she did.  The words were new to me and I quickly Googled to find out their meanings, and, yes Ann Marie – we share the same disdain for cold and snow.

So, here are a few cool words to share at upcoming holiday gatherings:

Cryophobia is an abnormal and persistent fear of cold, including cold weather and even cold objects.

Chionophobia is the extreme dislike or fear of snow.

Now, raise your mittened hand if you, too, suffer from either of these syndromes.