Monday 1 February 2010

10 reasons you know it's February on Long Island

1. The outdoor Christmas decorations are finally coming down. There is still the odd house where a lonely wreath, or a plastic Santa, lingers, but most are now looking rather forlorn without their strings of fairy lights and red ribboned wreaths on every window. Still, it is never too far away from the next holiday, and red tinsel hearts and Valentine's flags are now starting to appear....

2. The supermarket is awash with huge crisp packs, popcorn and chicken wings on promotion. Even Whole Foods is offering a 'free game-time dip'. Yes, it's almost time for the Superbowl....

3. Other seasonal merchandise includes green felt hats and green tinsel - presumably for St Patrick's Day. In March....meanwhile the Valentine's cards have been shoved further back, because that's, like, so over.

4. It's been a whole two weeks since the last bank holiday (Martin Luther King day). Now Presidents' Day, and a week off school to boot, is looming. Everyone in town seems to be headed to the Bahamas or Florida Keys. Except you, who will be stuck at home with two bored boys in the freezing cold....

5. You no longer remark on how amazing it is that the sea is actually frozen, as you drive along the shore front. It just seems normal now.

6. Everyone's coats and snowboots are looking quite well-worn, and you would gladly never put another mitten on a child in your life.

7. Your husband decides that a morning when the thermometer is reading minus 9 is a good time to go for a run. He comes back looking like he's about to expire.

8. Popping outside to put something in the recycle bin can be a major Polar expedition. You may be gone some time....

9. While out there you spot a neighbour barbecuing outside his back door, at 9pm on the coldest night of the year.

10. People start asking you what your kids are doing for summer camp......

12 comments:

Heidi Adnum said...

Love it :)

Dorset Dispatches said...

Oh god, is it nearly Valentines Day? And come on, what are you kids going to be doing for summer camp? How's about a trip back to sunny England?

Calif Lorna said...

I'm freezing just reading that list. You need some sun!

Iota said...

You're a bit backwards over there. My local Target had Valentine's stuff out before New Year.

We don't get a whole week off for Presidents' Day, though. Just a day. Maybe you have more Presidents over there.

Home Office Mum said...

Argh, you make me miss it sooo much. They sure do know how to DO holidays. Whatever the occasion.

Almost American said...

Yup - definitely time to start planning summer camp! My youngest has been bugging me for the last month about whether he'll be returning to the same camp as last year. We got our first mailing from them last week, and have been told a second one is on its way as soon as the camp website is updated with this year's prices, which should be sometime this week. Two years ago, when the kids were littler and I didn't sign them up for camp because they were at daycare, I saved the inserts from the local paper with all the camp info and that gave me a headstart last year - info about websites, and rough ideas of comparative prices and dates. There were SO many choices!

Nota Bene said...

Easter eggs are in at our local Waitrose....bbq? That's desperate!

nappy valley girl said...

Heidi - thank you!

Brit in Bosnia - we are in fact planning a trip back in August (and I'll be staying near Oxford, so how's about meeting up?). But school finishes here so bloomin' early that there are about 8 weeks of summer to get through first....

Lorna - Sun is not the problem - we have plenty of that, because the default weather system here for winter seems to be high pressure and clear skies. It's just freezing with it....roll on April and a trip to Florida.

Iota - seems like the preschools round here take any excuse to have days off.....I just wish there weren't quite so many in the middle of winter.

HomeOfficeMum - yes, there is no doubt that they know how to do holidays. Far better than the Brits, anyway.

AlmostAmerican - aargh. I do need to decide soon, don't I? I think it will be a fairly simple choice between the one at their usual preschool or another one round the corner, though.

NB - Well, clearly those steaks couldn't be cooked any other way.....

Dorset Dispatches said...

Really? August? Near Oxford? Four boys? On scooters? A sunny Oxfordshire pub? Pimms? Smoky bacon crisps? I might be drooling onto my keyboard with excitement. Would be brilliant!

A Modern Mother said...

Whole Foods? (you mean whole pay check?) Apparently there is one in London, doubt they have the superbowl display though. Hang in there, not much longer to go!

nappy valley girl said...

Brit in Bosnia - sounds just like what I had in mind. You're on.

Susanne - I've been to the Whole Foods in London and it is a kind of Whole Foods Megastore; the one here is more like an ordinary supermarket, just twice as expensive. Still, we have to go there to get Weetabix, Marmite and Dorset Cereals - sad Brits that we are....

Dorset Dispatches said...

Just let me know time and date - we'll see you there. :-)