Well, we’ve passed the shortest day of the year, on which we were spared the double whammy of being rainy, in which case Dec. 22 would have been the darkest and gloomiest. Now things are looking up. By February we’ll have noticeably more light in the morning and evening.

There is no denying that the period from December-February can be very bad times anywhere in the coastal Pacific Northwest, otherwise known as Cascadia because of the mountain range that traps precipitation separating wet from dry regions. In Vancouver, compared to Portland, the higher latitude means significantly shorter winter days. By “significant” I mean anything more than one minute, because at this time of year you notice every nano of difference.

Every year I think we are having record amounts of rainfall, but the records usually prove me wrong. It’s always this bad.

People cope with ski weekends, restorative soaks at Harrison Hot Springs and Vitamin D refueling in the time shares in Baja or the Yucatan of Mexico. Travel out of the area is wise. We should all plan on it. Even a week in Arizona or Palm Springs will restore energy and hope for a long time to come. Until July when the sun can be coaxed out more often than not.

Otherwise, the rule is to not let the rain beat you down. Put on your breathable rain gear, from head to toe, and enjoy the sensation of walking in a downpour and staying dry. Catch up on movies, preferably really long ones. Try a lot of happy hours.

For us, our earlier travel to Europe emptied the travel fund, so its only the occasional jaunt when a sliver of sun breaks through the clouds, as it did on Dec. 30th on our walk with the dog.

December shadows