Dear Chicago

Dear Chicago Weather,

I'm sorry. I'm sorry for all the posts about how Your winters are cold, gray-brown affairs without any charm. I'm sorry for suggesting that our position on Lake Michigan inhibits snow (two significant lake effect events this week). I'm sorry for saying that it's always bitterly cold here with exposed grass in the park. I'm sorry for thinking about how the frequent thaws simply expose the litter and fast-food offal beside the street.

You have proved me wrong this winter. We've already reached our average seasonal snowfall total at O'Hare. I've cross country skied twice--including at Camp Sagawau near Lemont--and likely will ski again this weekend. Temperatures have been really cold. Our heating bills have skyrocketed. Our pipes have frozen.

Please, Chicago Weather, continue to send low pressure systems into the area. Cold air masses that skirt Gulf moisture and dump snow on us. And Panhandle Hooks that rear up from the Southern Plains and feed snowstorms that span from here to Wichita. Please keep the rain-snow line somewhere near Watseka, and send those northeast winds down along the 300-mile fetch of Lake Michigan.