Well, I am not happy about this at all.
Some of you probably are. Those weird people who seem to enjoy the absolute torture that is the winter season in this region.
It seems to me that only a few minutes ago we were wearing shorts and grilling out while enjoying an ice cold adult beverage. We were scaring the neighborhood and causing car accidents by taking off our shirts while we mowed the yard. We were living – really living.
But now things have taking a turn for the worse. Last week was bad, yes. But at least it was Halloween week, the greatest holiday week of them all. As I have written before, there is no better week for a fan of horror movies and television and basically all things scary.
Now? That fun is over and we have to learn to live with going to work in the dark and coming home in the dark.
Sorry, but humans were not meant to live this way. It’s depressing.
I still have my motorcycle in the garage, as I am confident that there will be at least couple of days yet this year that will be good enough to ride. So, I haven’t given up complete hope.

But I am close. The Candlelight Walk in Oregon is just around the corner, and for me that means winter.
So let me just take a few moments to say goodbye to the things I love – the things of summer.
Goodbye, my beautiful green grass. I look forward to mowing you next year.
Goodbye to the lovely cover of lush greenery that graces this area. It is a canopy of delight.
Goodbye to my best buddy, the glorious sun. Thank you for all of the hours of fun you provided for me and my friends and family this year. You rule, sun.
Adios to eating outside on the patio. Sure, I hate the mosquitos, but there is something about enjoying a freshly grilled chunk of meat outside on a warm day while the dogs embarrassingly do their business nearby that just screams summer.
So long, bare feet. You had a pretty good time this summer, walking around the house, yard and patio. You even caught some serious rays poolside in Vegas, didn’t you? Alas, you will now be stuffed into socks and boots and slippers as I try to keep you warm. Sorry in advance.
I will see you soon, fire pit. We had some great fires in the back yard with friends this summer. Beer, flames, great conversation. Sorry, but you don’t find that in the winter around here.
Have a nice winter, camo shorts. Yes, like most guys I have a favorite pair of camo shorts that I probably wear too much. Look, they are comfortable and go with pretty much every black T-shirt I own, by which I mean pretty much every T-shirt I own. Because I own a lot of black shirts.
Time to hit the closet, sandals. I have a favorite pair that I have worn for years, and it is always sad to see them be put away for the winter. But I know they will be waiting for me when the warmer weather hits. And no, I never, ever wear socks with my sandals. I am civilized.
Finally, goodbye to being warm. I will pretty much not be warm again until next June. Winter weather gets into my bones and I have a very tough time getting warm.
But I will bundle up and struggle through. I know that sunny, warm and green days are waiting for me in the not so distant future.

Brad Jennings is Editor of The Ogle County Life.