One of the great things about working from home is that on horribly cold, wet, or icy days, you don’t have to go outside.

But one of the terrible things about working from home is that on days that are just damp or chilly, you also might find yourself not going outside.

When you stop working, look up from your desk, and find that it’s suddenly dark outside and you never got a glimpse of the actual day, that’s not good at all. That’s when the crazy creeps in.

Lately I’ve been trying to re-calibrate my definition of outside weather. Over the weekend, John and I walked to the river to throw things (sticks, rocks, cranberries) at the icy edges. Today at lunchtime, I walked through town and back with a friend (Thanks, Karen!). Both days were a little gray, but not too cold. And both times I felt a lot better for having been out.

I know I’ll be tested in this attempt before long. Temperatures in the 30s are nothing compared to what they’ll be a month from now, and icy sidewalks are not friends of mine. But as with everything, it’s one step at a time.