LEFT TO RIGHT -- (2005) Hoping that Phil gets it right, (2007) Phil predicted an early Spring, (2012) Let's just skip February and get right into March (2015) HEARTBREAK --> That Rat Bastard (Phil) Has Been "Playing" Us Every Year

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132nd Annual (Since 1886) GroundHog Day Re-Visited

IF YOU'RE KEEPING SCORE? -- Six Weeks of Winter = 114, Early Spring = 18

February 2, 2018
By: O. J. Cunningham

It's "THAT" Day Again . . . And, I Hate the Groundhog.

When I was younger, I remember looking forward to Groundhog Day. Maybe I was just a "wuss" and wanted Winter to be over. Groundhog Day got me thinking about Spring. Seemed like there was always a chance that the coming of warmer weather was right over the horizon..

Don't misunderstand. I enjoy four (4) seasons of Michigan weather as much as the next guy. But truthfully, as soon as February hits the calendar . . . I'm already counting the days to March. (After all, February is ... the shortest month.)

But, it turns out that recently, almost every Groundhog Day, I'm now regularly disappointed. Historically, it turns out, the rodent in question has seen his shadow 114 times out of a total of 132 coming out parties.

And in 2018, as expected, Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow again (SURPRISE!) -- And the forecast is for another 6 weeks of Brrrrrrrrrr and crappy weather.

IF YOU'RE KEEPING SCORE? -- Six Weeks of Winter = 114, Early Spring = 18

In past years, I've written a number of columns about Punxsutawney Phil and the 2nd of February. I was primed to write a 2018 version and then decided to look back over the years at previous columns.

After further review, it appears that I've gotten angrier at the Punxsutawney Rodent each time I have written about his Groundhog Day adventures.

All you have to do is look at the photos (on the right) that I used as artwork. At the bottom is 2005 - When I first put some rather tame words together.

At the top is an angrier (2015) photo that pretty well sums up my feelings toward Punxsutawney Phil. Below is a link to each of the previous years' columns.

Read them at your leisure . . . There's no need for a 2018 column. I've already said it all.

===== Previous Columns =====

Link to 2005 Column -- Hoping that Phil gets it right.

Link to 2007 Column -- Phil predicted an early Spring

Link to 2012 Column -- Let's just skip February and get right into March

Link to 2015 Column -- HEARTBREAK --> That Rat Bastard (Phil) Has Been "Playing" Us Every Year