IT'S SUMMER INSIDE

The weekend forecast is for snow, sleet, freezing rain, and general rainy and crappy weather. This is largely due to the fact that many people have been hoodwinked into thinking that Spring is here because:

A. The calendar says so

B. People have put shovels and snowblowers away

C. Winter tires have been replaced by the regular tires 

Sure, my snow shovel is still handy. I'm not a complete idiot. However, I prefer to dwell in a different reality, one that involves sunshine, warm weather, and flip-flops.

Just in case, I make sure I get to the store (days in advance because I'm not a masochist) to shop because, to be honest, I haven't bought groceries in a couple of weeks, and, by this I mean that the milk in my fridge has long passed cottage cheese stage and become a full-on science experiment. Yes, I buy milk (I needed some) and bread (sub rolls, actually), but I also buy salad fixings and bacon because fancy BLTs sound pretty darn good right about now.

I also restock the fridge with beverages. I have fresh fruit, frozen fruit, and various kinds of juices already at home that I plan to mix with red wine and make Sangria. Why? Because Sangria is a summer beverage, and I am more than ready for summer, despite the despicable weather forecast. 

I should grab some beer, too. I'm not a huge beer drinker, but, when I do drink beer, I'm not loyal to any specific brewer. It kind of depends on my mood. Imagine, if you will, my feeling of joyous jubilation when I spot this bad boy in the cooler: Sam's Summer. That is correct: Samuel Adams Citrus Wheat Ale. 

While most people rush to the store and grab pre-storm milk, bread, and eggs, I pile my cart full of what looks more like party fixings for the Fourth of July. I throw in a bouquet of flowers as the final middle finger to this weekend's weather. As the internet ticker rolls across the screen with the dire warning of "one more inch of snow overnight due," I am enjoying a lovely glass of fruit-infused Sangria while watching the Red Sox game.