Long Winter's Nap
I am a Southern girl, period. People who live in Virginia think they are Southerners but those of us who truly are from the South know that just ain't so - here's how I know it to be true. In Georgia, we have what is called "Bread and Milk Emergencies." Any time the weather forecasters even think words like snow, ice or wintry mix the city is immediately thrown into a tailspin and shuts down. Everyone rushes quickly to the closest Publix for some bread and milk and when I say rush, I mean, they race every other Southerner b/c they know that these items disappear quickly. There is only so much to go around. Then everyone hibernates for a few days trying to wait out whatever wrath the winter weather gives them - even if it's just a little bit of sleet that you can hear as you stare out the window with your hot chocolate in one hand and big blanket in the other. Sigh.
It isn't like that where I live. It takes a LOT to shut this city down. In fact, our first big snow last year (we got a few feet) caused me to lose sleep. Not from fear of winter's wrath or losing power, oh no, but from the stupid noise of the snow plows that came through our neighborhood every hour, on the hour clanking away as they plowed and salted the streets. What in Heaven's name would posses someone to do this on a freezing cold and snowy night? Well, they had to clear the streets so everyone else could go to work the next morning. Duh!
Then there is the fact that everyone already knew to back your car in, leave your windshield wipers up and have a snow shovel ready at the door. We had to learn that the hard way. Luckily, our neighbors took pity on us and let us borrow their snow shovel. Our normal yard shovel just wasn't cutting it.
Here we are again, a year later and we are in the midst of yet another winter storm. As I sit here now, I can hear the sounds of cars sliding around and slamming on brakes trying to avoid mailboxes and possibly small children as they attempt to get home on 2 inches of ice. I sit here in my warm house with the grim reality that in the morning I have to get up, brave the elements yet again and make my way to work tomorrow b/c up here in Yankee-land nothing shuts down - ever. They did say I could use a vacation day if I wasn't comfortable driving in it. Whatever. So, I backed my car in the drive and pulled my windshield wipers up at attention (at least I'm learning). I just feel like yelling at the world, "it's a bread and milk emergency you idiots!" then locking my front door, finishing my hot chocolate and curling up under a blanket for my long Winter's nap.
It isn't like that where I live. It takes a LOT to shut this city down. In fact, our first big snow last year (we got a few feet) caused me to lose sleep. Not from fear of winter's wrath or losing power, oh no, but from the stupid noise of the snow plows that came through our neighborhood every hour, on the hour clanking away as they plowed and salted the streets. What in Heaven's name would posses someone to do this on a freezing cold and snowy night? Well, they had to clear the streets so everyone else could go to work the next morning. Duh!
Then there is the fact that everyone already knew to back your car in, leave your windshield wipers up and have a snow shovel ready at the door. We had to learn that the hard way. Luckily, our neighbors took pity on us and let us borrow their snow shovel. Our normal yard shovel just wasn't cutting it.
Here we are again, a year later and we are in the midst of yet another winter storm. As I sit here now, I can hear the sounds of cars sliding around and slamming on brakes trying to avoid mailboxes and possibly small children as they attempt to get home on 2 inches of ice. I sit here in my warm house with the grim reality that in the morning I have to get up, brave the elements yet again and make my way to work tomorrow b/c up here in Yankee-land nothing shuts down - ever. They did say I could use a vacation day if I wasn't comfortable driving in it. Whatever. So, I backed my car in the drive and pulled my windshield wipers up at attention (at least I'm learning). I just feel like yelling at the world, "it's a bread and milk emergency you idiots!" then locking my front door, finishing my hot chocolate and curling up under a blanket for my long Winter's nap.
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