Winter Blunderland

My calendar says that winter won't officially begin until December 21 at 7:42 am EST, which is just plain crazy-talk to anyone who lives in Jamestown, New York. We all know that winter really began last night, no matter what the astronomers and calendar makers say. Here is my conclusive proof:

• My shepherd-collie decided it was too cold to sleep on the floor and jumped on my bed.
  
• I had to warm up the Toyota for five minutes before I went to church.
  
• It got down to 36 degrees last night and only warmed up into the fifties this afternoon. The forecast doesn't look any better for the next few days.
  
• I had to turn the space heater on when I took a shower this morning.

People have to be insane to live here!

P.S. What kind of obsessive compulsive feels the need to time the beginning of winter down to the minute? Isn't the date enough? Are we supposed to stand around raking leaves up until 7:41 and then rush to pull our parkas out of the closet when the digits change to 7:42?