There is a reason everyone in Chicago loves to talk about the weather.

Yesterday evening I was walking through the Gold Coast enjoying the warmest evening of the last week (which was not actually all that warm, but still, it was comfortable in a jacket with neither hat nor gloves). When I got home around midnight, it was around 45 degrees. At the moment, however, there are nearly five inches of snow on the ground and it's still coming down hard. May I remind you that it is April 11? I am so done with winter.

The snow is icy and heavy and all the trees are stooped under its weight. This morning, as I dressed, I heard a popping sound from outside. I went to the window and as I watched, a huge tree on the other side of the stream crashed to the ground, forming an impromptu bridge. The snow has iced up the satellite dish on the roof, knocking out the television entirely. Okay, I'm not entirely sorry about that last part, although I suspect some other members of the household might be if it doesn't come back on by game time.

And on the plus side, AJ and I made a kick-ass snowman:

AJ is squinting because the wind is blowing fiercely in his face. He didn't want to face the camera at all, but was eventually convinced. Shortly afterwards, we came inside for hot chocolate. Another benefit of snowy weather, I suppose. Maybe I can learn to live with winter in April. After all, we had spring in December, so I suppose it all evens out. I just need to remind myself that as long as there's snow on the ground I don't have to mow the lawn.

5 people said it like they meant it