Tom's 2016 Reads

11 in all.

November - 1

11. The Bat - book 1 in the Harry Hole series
by Jo Nesbo
mystery 1997 (in English 2012)
library book
print
finished 11/25/16

October - 1

10. The Devil's Star - book 5 in the Harry Hole series
by Jo Nesbo
mystery 2005
library book
print
finished (approximately) 10/15/16


September -1

9. Border Angels  - book 2 in the Inspector Celcius Day series
by Anthony J. Quinn
mystery 2013
kindle
finished 9/12/16

May - 3

8. A Conversation About Happiness
The Story of a Lost Childhood
by Mikey Cuddihy
nonfiction 2014
print
finished 5/18/16

7. Roseanna by Maj Sjowall and Per Wahloo - book 1 in the Martin Beck series
translated from the Swedish by Lois Roth
mystery 1965
print
finished 5/8/16

6. The Far Country
by Nevil Shute
fiction 1952
kindle
finished 5/6/16

March - 2

5. Essays After Eighty
by Donald Hall
nonfiction 2014
finished 3/29/16

4. Norwegian Wood
Chopping, Stacking, and Drying Wood the Scandinavian Way
by Lars Mytting
translated from the Norwegian by Robert Ferguson
nonfiction first published 2011; 2015 this edition
print
finished 3/6/16

February - 1

3. Driving Home
An American Journey
by Jonathan Raban
nonfiction 2010
print
finished 2/24/16

January - 2

2. On What Grounds - book 1 in the Coffeehouse series
by Cleo Coyle
mystery 2003
kindle
finished 1/25/16

1. 1776
by David McCullough
nonfiction 2005
print (his father's book)
finished 1/18/16

Books Read in 2016

December - 3

59. A Shilling for Candles - book 1 in the Alan Grant series
by Josephine Tey
mystery 1936
kindle
finished 12/27/16

58. The Man in the Queue - book 1 in the Alan Grant series
by Josephine Tey
mystery 1929
kindle
finished 12/15/16

57. The Case of the Love Commandos - book 4 in the Vish Puri, Most Private Investigator series
by Tarquin Hall
mystery 2013
kindle
finished 12/2/16

November - 5

56. The Case of the Deadly Butter Chicken - book 3 in the Vish Puri, Most Private Investigator series
by Tarquin Hall
mystery 2012
kindle
finished 11/23/16

55. Murder at the House of Rooster Happiness - book 1 in the Ethical Chiang Mai Detective Agency series
by David Casarett
mystery 2016
kindle
finished 11/14/16

54. A Frightfully English Execution - book 7 in the Inspector Singh Investigates series
by Shamini Flint
mystery 2016
kindle
finished 11/4/16

53. A Calamitous Chinese Killing - book 6 in the Inspector Singh Investigates series
by Shamini Flint
mystery 2013
kindle
finished 11/2/16

52. Elle & Coach
by Stefany Shaheen (with Mark Dagostino)
nonfiction 2015
print
finished 11/1/16

October - 7

51. A Curious Indian Cadaver - book 5 in the Inspector Singh Investigates series
by Shamini Flint
mystery 2012
kindle
finished 10/31/16

50. The Pawnbroker's Daughter
A Memoir
by Maxine Kumin
nonfiction 2015 (published posthumously)
print
finished 10/26/16

49. Precious and Grace - book 17 in the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series
by Alexander McCall Smith
mystery 2016
kindle
finished 10/22/16

48. A Deadly Cambodian Crime Spree - book 4 in the Inspector Singh Investigates series
by Shamini Flint
mystery 2011
kindle
finished 10/20/16 

47. The Merry Misogynist - book 6 in the Dr. Siri Paiboun series
by Colin Cotterill
mystery 2009
library book
kindle
finished 10/14/16

46. The Perplexing Theft of the Jewel in the Crown - book 2 in the Baby Ganesh Agency Investigation series
by Vaseem Khan
mystery 2016
kindle
finished 10/8/16

45. Death Runs Adrift - book 6 in the Gray Whale Inn Mystery series
by Karen MacInerney
mystery 2014
kindle
finished 10/3/16

September - 3

44. Brush With Death - book 5 in the Gray Whale Inn Mystery series
by Karen MacInerney
mystery 2013
kindle
finished 9/25/16

43. The Singapore School of Villainy - book 3 in the Inspector Singh Investigates series
by Shamini Flint
mystery 2010
kindle
finished 9/21/16

42. A Bali Conspiracy Most Foul - book 2 in the Inspector Singh Investigates series
by Shamini Flint
mystery 2009
kindle
finished 9/8/16

August - 5

41. Kick: The True Story of JFK's Sister and the Heir to Chatsworth
by Paula Byrne
nonfiction 2016
print
finished 8/30/16

40. A Most Peculiar Malaysian Mystery - book 1 in the Inspector Singh Investigates series
by Shamini Flint
mystery 2009
kindle
finished 8/30/16

39. Berried to the Hilt - book 4 in the Gray Whale Inn Mystery series
by Karen MacInerney
mystery 2010
kindle
finished 8/16/16

38. The Smartest Woman I Know
by Ilene Beckerman
nonfiction 2011
print
finished 8/11/16

37. Half Wild
by Robin MacArthur
short stories 2016
print
finished 8/9/16

July - 9

36. Six Impossible Things - book 3 (last) in the Waynes of Wood Mount series
by Elizabeth Cadell
fiction 1961
kindle
finished 7/29/16

35. The Blue Sky of Spring - book 2 in the Waynes of Wood Mount series
by Elizabeth Cadell
fiction 1956
kindle
finished 7/26/16

34. The Lark Shall Sing - book 1 in the Waynes of Wood Mount series
by Elizabeth Cadell
fiction 1955
kindle
finished 7/22/16

33. Ox-Cart Man 
by Donald Hall
pictures by Barbara Cooney
children's book 1979
reread
print
finished 7/19/16

32. Deep in the Green
by Anne Raver
nonfiction 1995
print
finished 7/18/16

31. The Escher Twist - book 16 in the Homer Kelly series
by Jane Langton
mystery 2002
kindle
finished 7/15/16

30. Picture Miss Seeton - book 1 in the Miss Seeton series
by Heron Carvic
mystery 1968
kindle 
finished 7/13/16

29. Shoulder the Sky (also known as Wind and Rough Weather) - book 3 in the Drumberley series
by D.E. Stevenson
fiction 1951
kindle
finished 7/8/16

28. Murder at Monticello - book 15 in the Homer Kelly series
by Jane Langton
mystery 2001
kindle
finished 7/7/16

June - 5

27. On My Own
by Diane Rehm
nonfiction 2016
print
finished 6/30/16

26. Music in the Hills - book 2 in the Drumberley series
by D.E. Stevenson
fiction 1950
kindle 
finished 6/28/16

25. Vittoria Cottage - book 1 in the Drumberley series
by D.E. Stevenson
fiction 1949
kindle
finished 6/21/16

24. The Thief of Venice - book 14 in the Homer Kelly series
by Jane Langton
mystery 1999
kindle
finished 6/11/16

23. The Face On the Wall - book 13 in the Homer Kelly series
by Jane Langton
mystery 1998
kindle
finished 6/1/16

May - 3

22. Dead As A Dodo - book 12 in the Homer Kelly series
by Jane Langton
mystery 1996
kindel
finished 5/26/16

21. The Shortest Day - book 11 in the Homer Kelly series
by Jane Langton
mystery 1995
kindle 
finished 5/15/16

20. Divine Inspiration - book 10 in the Homer Kelly series
by Jane Langton
mystery 1993
kindle
finished 5/9/16

April - 4

19. God in Concord - book 9 in the Homer Kelly series
by Jane Langton
mystery 1992
kindle
finished 4/26/16

18. The Dante Game - book 8 in the Homer Kelly series
by Jane Langton
mystery 1991
kindle
finished 4/19/16

17. Murder at the Gardner - book 7 in the Homer Kelly series
by Jane Langton
mystery 1988
kindle
finished 4/10/16

16. Journey to Munich - book 12 in the Maisie Dobbs series
by Jacqueline Winspear
mystery 2016
kindle
finished 4/4/16

March - 6

15. Good and Dead - book 6 in the Homer Kelly series
by Jane Langton
mystery 1986
kindle
finished 3/29/16

14. Emily Dickinson is Dead - book 5 in the Homer Kelly series
by Jane Langton
mystery 1984
kindle
finished 3/25/16

13. Natural Enemy - book 4 in the Homer Kelly series
by Jane Langton
mystery 1982
kindle
finished 3/19/16

12. The Memorial Hall Murder - book 3 in the Homer Kelly series
by Jane Langton
mystery 1978
kindle
finished 3/16/16

11. Dark Nantucket Noon - book 2 in the Homer Kelly series
by Jane Langton
mystery 1975
kindle
finished 3/10/16

10. The Transcendental Murder - book 1 in the Homer Kelly series
by Jane Langton
mystery 1964
kindle
finished 3/3/16

February - 4

9. The Bath Mysteries - book 7 in the Bobby Owen series
by E. R. Punshon
mystery 1936
kindle
finished 2/29/16

8. Death Comes to Cambers - book 6 in the Bobby Owen series
by E.R. Punshon
mystery 1935
kindle
finished 2/14/16

7. Heroic Measures
by Jill Ciment
fiction 2009
print
finished 2/3/16

6. Death of a Beauty Queen - book 5 in the Bobby Owen series
by E.R. Punshon
mystery 1935
kindle
finished 2/1/16

January - 5

5. Crossword Mystery - book 3 in the Bobby Owen series
by E.R. Punshon
mystery 1934
kindle
finished 1/18/16

4. Bloomsbury at Home
by Pamela Todd
nonfiction 1999
print
finished 1/18/16

3. The Unexpected Inheritance of Inspector Chopra - book 1 in the Baby Ganesh Agency Investigation series
by Vaseem Khan
mystery 2015
kindle
finished 1/13/16

2. Death Among the Sunbathers - book 2 in the Bobby Owen series
by E.R. Punshon
mystery 1934
kindle
finished 1/5/16

1. Greengates
by R.C. Sherriff
fiction 1936
print
finished 1/2/16

2015 book facts

I haven't done a book facts posting since 2010. Because I wrote so few book reports this year, I decided I would compile some stats for the 2015 books.

I read 69 books.

39 mysteries
10 fiction
8 nonfiction
3 children's books
3 young adult fiction
2 young adult mysteries
1 middle grade fiction
1 graphic novel
1 graphic nonfiction
1 spy fiction

publication dates:

1920s - 2
1930s - 3
1940s - 6
1950s - 11
1960s - 5
1970s - 4
1980s - 5
1990s - 3
2000s - 30

3 library books (all kindle)
10 rereads

54 kindle
15 print

43 by men
26 by women

I don't usually read as many by men, but this year continued my love of Arthur Upfield's mysteries, and I've now read all of them except the one that wasn't on kindle. I love these books of Australia, even though they aren't one bit politically correct when it comes to the Aborigines. Since I haven't written about all of them, and if you are interested, you may have an introduction to the series here -which I see that I wrote a year ago today! Reading is such a personal thing, and you can never tell if someone else will be as thrilled by a book as you are. Tom read one, and felt very ho-hum about it, and wasn't inspired to read anymore. Whereas, I still think about them, and look forward to reading everything Arthur Upfield ever wrote. I own print versions of his short stories, and some books about his work.

I've posted a couple times about my 'new' study. It is now completely done - painting finished, everything arranged, and a new chair bought. I've wanted a glider rocker for many years, and we got one for ourselves for Christmas. As I've said, there are no electronics, not even a clock in this room. It is gated off from Raya and Lucy so the grandchildren can play without having the toys stolen by the dog! I walk through the gate and feel I'm almost in another world. This is my long-winded way of saying that I now have a perfect place to read my print books, and my reading aspiration this year is to read more of them during the days and evenings. I still use my kindle at night for ease of handling.

Today's picture / Christmas day

I didn't dream of a green Christmas!

Today's Christmas cd/Tracey Thorn - Tinsel and Lights

I had been thinking of posting something for the solstice which happens tonight just before midnight my time. But instead I wanted to share this album I've been listening to. Tracey Thorn is probably best known for being half of Everything But the Girl. You can read more about her here. This Christmas offering from 2012 is sublime. Serious, thoughtful, unique. I love her voice. She does many original songs, as well as Joni Mitchell's River, and Ron Sexsmith's Maybe This Christmas which I featured two years ago, when my beloved Hazel Nina was 12 days old and weighing around two pounds.

Here is a video of the song Joy.

Today's picture/Christmas creatures at Windy Poplars Farm

Once and Again: Read a Second Book by that Awesome Author Challenge

My one reading goal in 2016 is to read more print books. The past couple years have been quite full (!) and much of my reading has been at night on the kindle. I'm hoping to spend more time in the study/library

with my beloved paper books.

In anticipation of this, I have joined a reading challenge from my blogging friend who lives on Prince Edward Island (one of my favorite places on the earth). It is called Once and Again: Read a Second Book by that Awesome Author Challenge, and you may read about it, and join if you wish, here.

The authors I plan to read:

Anita Desai: I read The Artist of Disappearance in 2012, and loved the writing. I plan to read Feasting, Fasting and/or Clear Light of Day.

Allegra Goodman: I have read Kaaterskill Falls many times, and Paradise Park once, and have meant to read more by this author. I want to read The Family Markowitz and/or The Cookbook Collector.

Julia Stuart: I read The Pigeon Pie Mystery in 2013, and enjoyed it. I am going to read The Matchmaker of Périgord.

Rosy Thornton: I read The Tapestry of Love in 2011, and have meant to read other books by her. I own More Than Love Letters, and Ninepins, which the author actually sent to me. I will read one or both of them for this challenge.

Edwin Teale Way: I read Springtime in Britain, and have wanted to begin his seasonal journeys across the United States so shall read his 1951 North with the Spring, during springtime, of course. 

Qdj - The Old Farmer's Almanac

If the past year has been a prosperous one, and you have a surplus of money or provision, cheer up your poor neighbors by helping them from your abundance. Happiness is never gathered faster than it is when trying to make others happy.

December 1890

The Old Farmer's Almanac

Pasta and Chickpea Stew

For this week's Weekend Cooking offering, I made Pasta and Chickpea Stew. It is a variation on a recipe in

I soaked a cup of chickpeas (garbanzo beans) overnight. This morning I cooked them in a large pot, adding water whenever it got low. First on high heat, then turned down to medium. They took maybe three hours to soften, but I didn't have to hover over them. I could come in and out of the kitchen to occasionally check. When they were soft, I added a cup of my tomato sauce (recipe here). Then I sautéed two good-sized garlic cloves in olive oil with added rosemary at a very low temperature for about ten minutes, and added it to the beans. In a separate pot, I cooked some macaroni, and stirred it in. I think there was about 2 cups cooked. And that's it. This made a delicious, filling, healthy, excellent supper.

Today's picture/Roz Chast Thanksgiving cartoon

What I Learned from TV - November 24 (and part of a poem)

Each time I do a post about What I Learned From TV, I’ll begin with the explanation from the first posting:

Now that my kids are grown, and Tom has retired, I’ve been able to go back to my natural sleep pattern which is to stay up late and get up late. Tom’s natural rhythm is just the opposite. So, he’s the lark and I’m the owl. 

And what this owl does in the late hours is watch television- not in the traditional way but through Hulu, Netflix, TunnelBear, and Acorn TV. Most of the shows are British, though I am a great fan of a few American television shows, and have been watching some from other countries now that we have TunnelBear. Some of these shows Tom will watch in the mornings, but some of them are all mine. So, when I hear a great quote from a show I know he’s not going to watch, I’ll leave him little post-it notes near the computer keyboard. I had a notion this morning to begin a new ‘letter topic’ called What I Learned From TV so I can put up some virtual post-its for you to read and, hopefully, enjoy. Some are funny, some are educational, some are wise.

Several from Lewis: 

Upon viewing a sign that says - "fresh tomato's"

Lewis: I can hear you tutting even if you're not.

Hathaway: I don't like misplaced apostrophes.

A fellow policeman says to Lewis, Hathaway, and Dr. Hobson - 

Oxford on a summer's evening - is there a lovelier place in the world?

Hobson: Not a one.

Hathaway and an old friend run into one another in a bookstore. She has a book of Housman's poems, and says:

I mislaid my copy. You know how one sometimes has a hankering? I couldn't remember if it was 'happy highways where I walked, or went.'

Hathaway: Went; definitely went.

She says: Silly, I know, but it suddenly seemed the most important thing in the world to me that I knew.

I know that most of us understand exactly what she meant! Here is the part of A Shropshire Lad that they were talking about.

Into my heart an air that kills

  From yon far country blows:

What are those blue remembered hills,

  What spires, what farms are those?

That is the land of lost content,         

  I see it shining plain,

The happy highways where I went

  And cannot come again.

Nine years and a day

I began this blog on November 22, 2006. I cannot believe it has been that long. Nine years before that day my children were 15 and 12, and now they are parents. It boggles my mind. Time is the strangest thing. 

In a lot of ways this blog is a journal of our lives. I refer to it all the time. I check it for recipes, or for when something was planted. And I go back to old posts and read the comments. Sadly, a fair few are from people who have disappeared from my blogging life. Some have died, and others are just gone. I miss them. 

Pretty much since our granddaughter was born, I haven’t been around as often as I would like. The reasons, of course, are very, very wonderful. Hazel, Campbell, and Indy. Gradually, slowly, I am making my way back to writing my letters and visiting your blogs more often. 

Thank you all for staying around during these past years of writing just over 100 posts a year. Thank you for coming by even when I haven’t had the chance to visit you. Thank you for being my friends. Even though we’ve not met, I know you and care about you as I do anyone I know in my offline life. I am grateful beyond any words I can say.

I’ll end this with a picture of last evening’s sunset and one of Lucy waiting for Tom in the car. Both photos taken by him.

Today's picture/Sagittarius

Today at 10.25 am EST, the sun entered sagittarius. This poster hangs in Hazel Nina's bedroom.

Quote du jour/Gladys Taber

I can't believe it has been a week since I posted. Busy days with the grandchildren!

If you have never visited Beth Fish Reads, there is a section called Weekend Cooking.


Here is the description:

Weekend Cooking is open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share: Book reviews (novel, nonfiction), cookbook reviews, movie reviews, recipes, random thoughts, gadgets, quotations, photographs, restaurant reviews, travel information, or fun food facts. If your post is even vaguely foodie, feel free to grab the button and link up anytime over the weekend. You do not have to post on the weekend. Please link to your specific post, not your blog's home page.

My offering this week is a quote from Gladys Taber. 

What's cooking is always evident, because we have no ventilating fans to whisk odors out.

German's Sweet Chocolate Cake

Many years ago, Tom’s sister baked us what she called a German sweet chocolate cake. I had never tasted anything like it. When I was in the baking chocolate section of my local co-op the other day, I happened to see a package, and bought it.

I've never heard it referred to as German's, but clearly that's what the package says. I've seen it both ways on the internet. 

Last week I made the cake with Hazel Nina. So much fun! Before we even began she nibbled on the chocolate bar

and loved it!

She stirred the flour, baking soda, and salt together.

And then whisked the eggs. 

After we mixed everything together came the best part!

The cake was excellent! Both Tom and Matthew, Hazel's daddy, thought it was the best chocolate cake they had ever had.

I thought that the traditional coconut pecan frosting might be not be quite the thing for a toddler, so I made a regular confectioners' sugar frosting. 

And now for the recipe.

German's Sweet Chocolate Cake

Preheat oven to 350º F.

Over very low heat, melt together:

1 pkg. (4 oz.) Baker's German's Sweet  Chocolate

3/4 cup butter

Let cool a little, and put in mixer. (you can do it with a hand mixer, or just stirring well)

Continue beating, and add:

1 1/2 cups sugar

3 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla.

In a separate bowl, mix together:

2 cups flour 

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

Turn mixer down to low speed and add the dry mixture alternately with 1 cup of buttermilk.

Bake in 9x13 pan which has been greased with cooking spray for 25-30 minutes.

Easy to make and wonderful taste! Highly recommended.

You may visit Weekend Cooking to read more food related postings.

Today's picture/Not one, not two, but three goofy girls

When we take care of Hazel Nina, I text Margaret pictures so she can see her daughter on her breaks. On Tuesday I sent this one

And Margaret sent this back to us

Today's poem by Galway Kinnell

The Man Splitting Wood in the Daybreak

The man splitting wood in the daybreak 

looks strong, as though, if one weakened, 

one could turn to him and he would help. 

Gus Newland was strong. When he split wood 

he struck hard, flashing the bright steel 

through the air so hard the hard maple 

leapt apart, as it's feared marriages will do 

in countries reluctant to permit divorce, 

and even willow, which, though stacked 

to dry a full year, on being split

actually weeps—totem wood, therefore, 

to the married-until-death—sunders 

with many little lip-wetting gasp-noises.

But Gus is dead. We could turn to our fathers, 

but they help us only by the unperplexed 

looking-back of the numerals cut into headstones. 

Or to our mothers, whose love, so devastated, 

can't, even in spring, break through the hard earth. 

Our spouses weaken at the same rate we do. 

We have to hold our children up to lean on them. 

Everyone who could help goes or hasn't arrived. 

What about the man splitting wood in the daybreak, 

who looked strong? That was years ago. That was me. 

Galway Kinnell (1927-2014)

No Man is an Island

Four years ago, I discovered a wonderful singing couple named Joey and Rory, and wrote about their album here. I have followed their lives ever since, via their website, and by reading Rory’s beautiful blog. I rejoiced at the birth of their daughter Indiana. And now I cry along with many, many others as Joey’s life is slipping away. When the baby was three months old, the doctor found cervical cancer. That was in May 2014, and now the end is drawing near. I don’t know her, but I care deeply about this woman and this family. Often now his blog won’t come up for a few minutes, and there is a message that it could be due to capacity problems. So many people visiting and writing the most heartfelt words. Other people just like me who don’t know these people but feel their pain and sadness so deeply. 

No man is an island,

Entire of itself,

Every man is a piece of the continent,

A part of the main.

If a clod be washed away by the sea,

Europe is the less.

As well as if a promontory were.

As well as if a manor of thy friend's

Or of thine own were:

Any man's death diminishes me,

Because I am involved in mankind,

And therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; 

It tolls for thee. 

John Donne

Today's picture/evening time

What my television watching evenings look like. Tonight is an episode of Lewis.

Why I love this time of year

This letter is an answer to a question from my friend Les, who is thankfully back blogging again. At the end of her post from yesterday, she asked:

I'll leave you with a question of the day: Do any of you actually like daylight savings time?

My answer is a resounding ‘yes!’ The morning after the time change, when I awaken, I feel like my life is just beginning. I’ve thought a lot about this, and I think I have figured it out after nearly 68 years. I am basically kind of a lazy person. Even as a kid, I remember going outdoors mainly for the good feeling of coming back inside. I love kitchens and studies and living rooms. I like to cook in the kitchen, read and do desk stuff in the study, and watch television and visit with people in the living room. I love my garden, but not necessarily the doing of it. I like the results. I like looking at my flowers from a bench. Unhealthy as it may be, I must admit that I am a sitter. I do take a walk most days, especially now we have Lucy (a good reason to have an active dog!) and I do yoga. I have always exercised to some degree but again, it is just so I can sit with less guilt. When I read books or look at magazines, it is the interiors I enjoy. I pore over word or photo descriptions of rooms in a house.  

All this is a lead-up to why I love this time of year. The early darkness means I can turn on my lamps and make the house feel cozy. I have more hours where I can be inside doing what I want to do in those rooms that I love. The summer is mostly too busy for me. Too much activity, too many people and occasions, too much outside stuff to do. I don’t get enough of that quiet, alone time that I need. The months from November through March allow me that time.

A year ago, I learned that there is a seasonal affective disorder in reverse. It was a really big deal for me to find out about this. It was just amazing to learn there are others like me. I am certainly NOT like the extremes listed, and in fact the only adjective that really applies to me in relationship to summer is what I’ve kind of talked about - ‘agitation.’ I don’t get depressed in the summer, but I do have a longing for more peace, more solitude, more November. And here is the article. Thanks for bearing with me. I expect there aren’t many who feel as I do, but then again, readers are usually an introverted bunch so you may well understand.

The article is from here:

You know what today is, right?

That whole Daylight Saving thing is over, which means it gets darker earlier.

For a lot of people that might be a downer. You get home from work and it's pitch black outside. Maybe you skip that run because it just feels too cold and dark. Then you feel bad because you skipped your run, and you open a bottle of whiskey instead.

Ok, we're getting carried away, but you get the point. Some people are SAD in the winter months — literally SAD — they have seasonal affective disorder. They'd much rather frolic in the summer sun.

But guess what? SAD can happen in reverse.

"There are people who have a very hard time dealing with the summer," says Norman Rosenthal, a psychiatrist and professor at Georgetown University. "For some people, warmer temperatures and brighter days can lead to depression, agitation, weight loss, insomnia ... in extreme cases, even thoughts of suicide."

Rosenthal was the first to name and describe the disorder, and he's known as the pioneer of SAD research, starting back in the '80s.

It's the summer version of SAD. For these people, this is the day that things start to get better.

Rosenthal says the gradual drop in temperature creates a calming feeling, as opposed to the agitation that the summer heat can cause. It's also the time when those of us who simply like winter can spike our tea, get the cozy plaid blankets out of the attic and watch television — I mean, read books.

For more on the upsides to winter, we found Jack Fitzpatrick. He's from Minnesota, so he's something of an expert on the cold and dark. We can all learn something from his attitude.

"I love the transition," Fitzpatrick says. "There is just so much time to spend inside because you don't want to be outside. You're just kind of hanging out. Sitting, eating food."

Allen Nguyen didn't grow up with Minnesota winters. He's from New Orleans, but he hates the heat. Cold weather is where he feels most himself.

"I can go outside when it's very serene, when it's very snowy or even when it's a nice fall day," he says. "It just feels a lot better to me. It's just hard to explain."

I'm with you, Allen. And he waxed philosophical too.

"When it gets cold, inside of me, I sort of understand that there's an end to things, a completion to the year," he says.

See? Daylight Saving Time is deep.

So don't just enjoy the extra hour of sleep, be excited about the change, the chilly weather and cozy, darker nights. It's the best time, Fitzpatrick says, to do the following:

"Sit, take a bath, wrap up under blankets and not talk to anyone."