Snow

Those glist'ning houses that seem to be built of snow
Snow
Oh, to see a mountain covered with a quilt of snow
Snow
I want to wash my hands, my face and hair with snow
Snow
I long to clear a path and lift a spade of snow
Snow
Oh, to see a great big man entirely made of snow
Snow

Those lyrics come from the movie White Christmas. It's from the scene where Bob and Phil are taking the girls on the train to the Vermont lodge where they'll put on their show. They are looking forward to seeing all the snow and like any good movie musical, they break out into song about it! That is the song that has been going around in my head over the last few days....SNOW!

Since we decided to move up here and started to tell friends and family that has been the number one thing people most warn us about...SNOW! People who have lived in snow warn that we will hate it. People who have just visited snow worry if we will adjust. People who live up here wonder if we will make it though the winter. After hearing much negativity about the subject of snow, I did find myself a few times this fall feeling like I was moving inexorably towards something to be worried about. I was always optimistic about it, I mean really, it IS just a different kind of weather than I am used to. I am flexible. I was sure I could adjust to the "horror" of snow. Honestly I was looking forward to learning about snow-living.

I got my coats, scarves, sweaters, long johns, hats, gloves, tires... I took snow & ice driving lessons from Charles. I learned how to work the pellet stoves. I took the advice of locals and stocked up on groceries before a big storm hit. I installed a Weather Channel icon on my desktop. Then waited for the mounds of snow. And waited. We had our first snowfall in mid October. Everyone said that it was too early for snow and that was a sign that our winter was going to be harsh. I braced myself. And waited. We lost the fall leaves early and I was sad about that. Then waited some more. By the end of November we really hadn't had any more snow. Now the locals were wondering if our winter might not be so bad after all. The first week of December is when we got a good blanket of snow. I took tons of photos, shared my giddiness with my friends, used all those new clothes and accessories that I had purchased and waited for it to turn yucky. Through December and January it would snow a bit and then melt. We would watch all the areas around us get hit with blizzards while I waited. I had a lovely white Christmas and some hilarious drives with my mother-in-law through the snow! Then the snow melted. By the end of January and through most of February when it snowed it would stay on the ground longer, but still, there was nothing to complain about. There were actually only a few days between all three months that we could have made a decent snowman or sled down the hill. I convinced all my family and friends that snow and me were getting along just fine. The snow fall has been so light that there have been many days that Charles will look around as we are driving and say, "This is the dead of winter. Where is all the snow?" Mild winter. That is what folks are calling it. Places that get no snow at all are breaking records and here I am all prepared for the big, evil snow and we get a "mild winter". I am not complaining. Just saying...

So here I sit today, the Weather Channel has warned of a big snow storm (Storm? That's what I've been waiting for!), I stocked the kitchen with lots of food, refilled the pet meds, checked on batteries, filled the gas tanks and got extra bags of pellets. The snow started yesterday. It has really been piling up. The last time Charles and I measured it, the ruler read 17". Last night when Charles came home he could only get the car half way up the drive before the tires were spinning and he had to spend an hour and a half laying cinders and salt and shoveling out tire ruts before he could pull his car in the garage. Yesterday & today they closed the schools, so I didn't have to go into work. Today Charles and quite a few others from his office worked from home. The predictions are that it will continue to snow through the weekend and ever more snow will be piling up! Tomorrow we are going tubing. And Sunday I have plans to make a snow family in the front yard. Let me say again-me and snow are getting along just fine!

Here is my puzzlement. What's the big deal? I've lived in a climate that was so hot you often decided not to do outdoor activities because the AC was much nicer. I've had the back-of-the-leg sweat glue my legs to a car seat. I've been through two hurricanes-and "battened down" for many more. Been through hurricane clean up. Watched as my dad's greenhouse was carried away by a tornado. Was caught in an undertow. Have worn shorts on most of the Christmases of my life. Walked the dogs at 8 in the morning and come inside soaking wet with sweat. Driven through torrential rains when I knew I should have pulled over. And lived with flying cockroaches!!! There is nothing that dreadful about snow. I have to dress for it. So? There is shoveling involved. I'm good with that! I have to do a bit of prep work for the big stuff. Not a problem! Sometimes it might be easier or safer to stay in rather than go out. OK, fine!

Snow is fluffy, wet, cold, slippery, beautiful, dirty when it's driven over, a bit of a pain to drive over (with our "all season" tires), fun, glittery and makes for great photo ops. What snow isn't? Snow isn't bad. Or scary. Or too much for this Florida native to handle.

So, wishing my life were more like a movie musical, I'll break out into song now...
Where it's snowing
All winter through
That's where I want to be
Snowball throwing
That's what I'll do
How I'm longing to ski
Through the SNOW!!!