Each year on this day, the eyes of the nation -- and, indeed, the world -- turn to a small Pennsylvania town, as people seek to answer the burning question, how long will this cold winter last?
For the first time in eight years, the world's foremost weather authority, groundhog Punxsutawney Phil, gave us all an answer we can be happy about. He failed to see his shadow, thereby predicting an early spring. Had he seen it, that would have meant six more weeks of winter, according to German small-mammal folklore.
Since 1886, weather-predicting groundhogs have only failed to see a shadow 15 times, so this outcome is quite exciting, especially to those of us living in the thick of winter right now. Lately, I don't even turn on the weather forecast, because I know it will only be bad news. I don't mind the snow, because at least that's pretty, but I could certainly do without the single-digit temperatures, particularly when combined with wind chills that take us into the negatives. I haven't felt my feet in about four days.
But today, Phil gave me hope for the future. Hope that I may soon be able to stop wearing a hat inside the house, that I may someday be able to put non-sweater shirts back into my clothing rotation, that I may actually spend an entire day without shivering.
It's a nice thought.
Then again, the only thing Phil guaranteed with his prediction of an early spring was that we would have fewer than six more weeks of winter. He didn't give specifics, and based on the nearly-as-reliable predictions of my local weatherman, I think the next five weeks could be tough.
So just in case, I think I'll go out and buy a new sweater.
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