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Daylight Savings Time starts next weekend, three weeks earlier than it has in the past. I live in Washington State and I am so looking forward to that extra hour of daylight. Because of our notoriously cloudy and rainy weather, we often go days during the winter without ever seeing the sky. When it gets dark at about 4:00PM the weather just compounds the darkness and the gloom. Most of us go to work in the dark and come home in the dark, so having the extra hour of daylight in the evening is more than some extra light. It means a promise of spring and warmer weather and the chance of clear skies.
We all feel better when we can get outside. When the weather is nice Washingtonians flood outdoors (no pun intended) and bask in the sunshine. We need that vitamin D for our health, and the extra hour gives us all a better chance to experience it.
My husband is a big fan of the Winter Solstice. Yes, it is the darkest day of the year, but it also signals an incremental increase in the daylight. Honestly, we are so light deprived if we could go outside on December 22nd and dance around a bonfire we would. Unfortunately we live in a place where bonfires are not only discouraged, but would likely be put out by a torrential downpour. Instead we usually toast the day. We always remember it.
So even though next Sunday at 2AM is actually "spring forward" time with the clocks, I am going to get a jump on it and set mine Saturday at about 11PM. I know that's bold, but I am that excited about the prospect of some light. I have counted close to 30 clocks, watches, cars, televisions, thermostats, microwaves, stoves, etc. that we need to change, so it may take us until 2:oo to get them all done. Hope we can do it without having to hunt down any of the manuals.