Day 216. It’s Official

Well, we’re on our way now. I think it’s fair to say the dark days of winter are behind us. We may have lost an hour of sleep, but we’ve turned the clocks ahead and we’re officially in daylight savings time.

We’ve turned the corner. Hallelujah!

And you know what this means, don’t you? Longer days are here again. And warm weather cannot be far behind. Consistent warm weather. Oh, I know we’ve had days here and there, where we’ve had Spring-like temperatures. But then, just as suddenly, we’ve been hit with snow and cold.

But at this point, it doesn’t really pose much of a threat. It’s just Mother Nature’s last hurrah.

Because now. HA! Now it’s for real.

I love my sleep. But let me tell you. Never was I so happy to give up an hour. What’s an hour compared to more daylight? And more and more every day? Until it’s still bright at 9 pm. Hallelujah!

It was a bit darker when I got up this morning, which never makes me want to spring right out of bed. But

that’ll change soon enough. Another few weeks. I can handle it, now I know there’s a light at the end of the tunnel. Literally.

Tonight I’m going to a 6:15 movie with a friend. It will still be light out. How great is that? And soon, it will still be light when we get out of a 6:15 movie. Even greater. Especially when you consider last night the sun set at 6:17 — an hour earlier than it will set tonight.

That’s significant, you know.

Here’s something I didn’t know. Did you know daylight time isn’t used everywhere? Saskatchewan and some parts of British Columbia don’t use it. Same in Arizona and Hawaii. And the majority of countries in Africa and Asia.

Do you have any idea how long it’s been since we first implemented daylight savings time? It was first proposed in 1895 by George Vernon Hudson, an English-born New Zealand entomologist and astronomer. He wanted more daylight hours so he could collect more insects. And it was implemented during the first world war. Then it was expanded during the 1970s energy crisis.

All I know is, I like it. I also know it is highly unusual for me to have so little to say. But you’re going to have to excuse me. It’s quite lovely out. The sun is now just about up and it’s going to be in the 50’s today. I’ve waited months for this. I’m going outside to enjoy the day. I may even take my New York Times and have my morning coffee, sitting on a patio.

Surely you’re anxious to get out of the house, too.