Can I just reiterate how much I love being outside?  *sigh*
I heart my bike.

I heart my city.

I heart my unreasonable collection of old wool sweaters.

I heart my $5.00 long underwear from A.J. Wrights (it's got skulls and crossbones!)

I heart my fake fur lined boots.

I heart how good I feel knowing that I'm not just waiting to get back inside again when I step outside.

I love the winter weather...

This morning, like many others, I biked into downtown at about 4:30am.  This morning, like many others, had me arriving at work, peeling off layers and layers of onion-like clothes until I was standing in the cafe in a single layer of  black coffee girl wear.
As the customers began to come in just after we opened the front doors, many of them commented on how cold it was.  The exact change they were handing me for their coffee was especially cold!  Then someone said it was only 20 degrees outside.  How had I been on my bike for 15 minutes or so and not noticed that it was significantly colder than yesterday morning?  Could it be that I have discovered the magical intuitive powers to know exactly how many sweaters to wear to not feel the cold?  Eureka!  I'm so happy! 
I am feeling so hopeful that winter cycling is going to be great fun.  I am already dreaming of the first time I get to ride with light, fluffy flakes swirling all around me (a slightly more romantic picture of winter cycling than mounds of plowed road snow and patches of black ice, I know... but I can dream, right?).  People are asking me, what will you do when it gets really cold?  What about when there is snow on the ground?  My answer is simple;  more sweaters, knobbier tires, and maybe, if I'm feeling really afraid of ice, a helmet.