I think It might be a little warmer...

... Because the snow has started to melt and go slushy during the day. There are even patches where you can see the ground. Just the other day as I rode the train back from Ashoro, I noticed that there were huge segments of farmland with no snow... The bare soil peeking through. Which is kinda weird seeing as this time last year it wasn't nearly this warm during the day.

During the day being the operative phrase. It still seems to be pretty freakin' cold at night. The other night I went to the Valentine's Day Fireworks/ Ice festival, and it was beautiful but I coulda done without the 20-minute trek through the cold snow... My feet went numb and scary and I swear I thought I was going to get frostbite.

although I'm sure you have to spend more than 20 minutes of freezingdom to get frostbite... Surely?

Amazingly there were still plenty of women with bare legs and no jackets, or freaking stiletto boots and mini skirts... I'm all for dressing up for a date, but... come on!!! I'm sure the whole "I'd die for you" romantic ideal doesn't include the words "as a direct result of my dress sense".

Anyway... I'm hoping the unusual warmness means that we are in for an early spring... Maybe There'll even be Sakura this season... I'm talking about a real Sakura Blooming, not the sad, late, whimpering buds that barely made it past the deadline last year. I mean, the Obihiro Sakura festival.. Didn't have any Sakura... Horsemeat, sure... But no Sakura. And it was kinda chilly for an outdoor festival.

So let's holding thumbs for a bright cheerful springtime!