Welllllllllllllllllll I'm w Moon n B1G on this one...
Jan n Feb are bitterly cold n dark up here, w March showing some early signs of "life"...
I walk to the office most every day - 30 minutes each way - no matter the temps / weather, so I really "experience" it...
As such, and as Moon n B1G allude to, this is my favorite time of year, in that not only do we get relief from the nasty winter weather, but the warm, sunny days lie ahead...
As passionate a fan of Alabama football as I am - and I am a longtime passionate fan, I wouldn't trade this time of year for anything...
Plus, as cbi says above, being the reigning national champion suuuuuuuuuuuuuure adds something to the off-season...
As time has permitted in the evening, when the spirit moves me in the cold dark winter months, I fire up my PVR recording of the national championship game, at around the 13:42 mark of the 4th quarter if I recall correctly, when Bama is down 27-24, and Griff ties it w a FG, followed by the game-changing "pop kick", and enjoy the rest of the game as I prep dinner. And man is that ever a nice option to have on a Canadian winter's evening...
All of that being said, I totally get that the Summer heat can be oppressive in the South [tho I'd be lying if I said that I wouldn't trade Canadian winters for it; in a heartbeat...] and I couldn't be happier for you, Dan, that you're enjoying your undoubtedly well-deserved retirement in the ways you describe it.