Only four more weeks?

Days 42, 43 and 44: So... it's cold. We've had snow. Apparently, I cannot "run" away from February funk. I ran with Melissa on Thursday (day 42). I didn't want to go... she was my strength. She didn't want to go that far, so 3.5 miles it was. It was fine. Not too cold, not too yucky. I was just fighting some sickness. My older son was sick too. I figured we had the same thing... then his turned out to be chicken pox. I had a momentary freak out about shingles, but then realized this non-descript, somewhere in between sickness, is how I usually get sick. No big deal really. Then, the snow came again... ON A FRIDAY, no less. Every person, and I mean EVERY person I ran into on Friday said, "Well, at least it's only four more weeks." Meaning the winter of course. But what about March? March can be cold and snowy and toy with our affection for spring. That's a little more like six weeks. Six weeks. Doesn't sound so bad, but feels bad. I ran out in the snowstorm. I did 3 miles in 27 minutes. It was slower than I wanted, but faster than I expected given the slushy, snow blindness. Oh, yes... and the child at home with itchy pox. So, I haven't wanted to take much time away... from our quarantine. So, today... really cold. Icy roads, snow filled sidewalks (see earlier blog about the lack of shoveling the sidewalks in Asheville). I tried to entertain my eldest pock marked child, but being stuck in the house without friends and unable to sled is pretty hard to ignore at 12. I went out today, after a not fun fighting morning with my spouse. (Somehow, when life is stressful we have the ability to turn it towards each other and pick useless fights...real helpful...)I ran the neighborhood 5k because I know I can at least run on the streets,which I did. The streets were also icy in some spots and slushy in others. I ran at a good pace, and being out was nice... at least the sun was shining, even if it felt like 10 degrees out. Something about being out is nice... good for the soul, even. But then you get home, back to quarantine... I mean we can't even go out and see a movie for fuck's sake. So, then the winter feels heavy, oppressive. It makes me want to run away screaming from the house. Instead, I'll play Monopoly with my children, and somehow get my butt kicked (maybe this doesn't bode well for my business acumen). I'll make pasta and salad and think, "Well, maybe it's only four more weeks." Four weeks seems tolerable, right?