Has anybody noticed?

We are having an extremely mild winter in 2002.

Is it Global Warming? Has the Ozone Layer been punctured. Ask Al Gore. Who cares?

After a hearty Saturday morning breakfast with the Hicksville Soccer Old-Timers at the Broadway Diner, I made a break for freedom. I lit up a Cuban cigar (contraband), opened all the windows of the car and headed due south on the Wantagh Parkway.

The warm winds filled me with relaxation and ease. The radio tuned itself into Woody Guthries' famous tune, "This Land Is Your Land, this land is my land, from California to the New York Island."

Every overpass and bridge trestle over the highway was decorated with American flags and patriotic phrases. The sun was shining and soon I was strolling the wooden boards at Jones Beach (no tolls in winter).

As I walked the boardwalk and saw the Jones Beach obelisk, with its green patina cap, a wave of patriotism and warm feeling came over me.

I was darn lucky to be on Long Island, a free man in a free country. The other walkers were a diverse group of people. They formed two distinct lanes - one going east - one going west.

They were old and they were young, people riding bicycles, fathers pushing baby carriages and people with one or two canes to aid them. Waving their arms and swinging small weights they walked at different speeds. They were folks enjoying a winter treat.

The birds flew overhead paying no attention at all to this moving mass of humanity.

There was no snow!

No biting winds!

Just a walk in the sun on a glorious winter's day.

Try it, you'll love it!