Showing posts with label on the road. Show all posts
Showing posts with label on the road. Show all posts

Friday, January 22, 2016

Southern Snow

Be gentle when teasing those of us south of the Mason-Dixon for our Chicken Little approach to snow!  Of course we close schools & shut down businesses for a couple of inches of the white stuff!  Obviously, the very mention of a blustery two foot accumulation will send us dashing to the store in a panic to strip its shelves bare of milk, bread, eggs, water... and wine.  Snow and icy covered roads strike tremendous fear into the darkest corners of our souls.

But do you understand why??

It’s true that winter storms occur infrequently in the southeastern states, but our reason for the tizzy is about much more than just not being accustomed to it. Cities, like Atlanta, are not equipped to handle a Snow-pocalypse, as we all witnessed last year, nor would it be in their best interest to prepare and budget yearly for a team of snow plows and the like for such weather!  The further south you go, the less likely it is that snow shovels, salt, or any other snow-battling weaponry will even be available to find at your friendly neighborhood Wal-Mart or Home Depot.  Why would they stock their shelves with such things in the unlikely event that a blizzard would strike that year?  Also, though I’m no engineer, I’d be willing to bet that the construction of the buildings and roads of our charming Southern townships considers warmer weather in its structure planning for safety rather than cold, possibly making them ill-suited for plunging temperatures and the destructive powers of ice.

Yes, we know you northerners laugh at us for having a slightly higher ambient temperature and an inability to drive in ice and snow.  Although, I must point out the false confidence in your own winter driving abilities often astounds me with its disastrous endings. Perhaps news coverage of such accidents is the source of our southern fear. In any case, we don’t mind being the butt of your jokes.  In fact, I always find a good little giggle in the sad truth of your winter memes.  

Just remember, when temperatures soar to the not-quite triple digits this summer and your area issues an extreme heat advisory, striking fear into your own hearts, the tables will turn and we will all have a good laugh on you.

Saturday, January 2, 2016

Cold Feet

Another whirlwind vacation of traveling five major interstates spanning eight southern states in a minivan with two exhausted adults, three restless children, two chihuahua half-breeds, a squeaky gerbil, and all the baggage that comes with each, emotional or otherwise.  The whole trip- for two weeks of an unusually warm winter- my poor ten toes have been ice cold!

Virginia to Alabama.  A short visit with good friends, where my toesies were unhappily reminded that all thermostats are not set to my ambient winter temperature of "toasty."

Alabama to Texas.  An 80 degree Christmas, the warmest in recent Houston history, where two new pairs of shoes were purchased; one for running and one for church to match the more temperature-appropriate new Christmas dress.  Neither provided the warmth my little piggies seemed to crave.

Texas to Georgia. The much cooler New Year holiday spent snuggled in borrowed UGA slippers and my husband's dress socks in a home with poor engineerical planning for the FROG... or was it the industrial sized freezer our bed was made in?  I'm not sure!

And now Georgia back home to Virginia.  My forever-frozen footsies still desperately seeking heat as we make our way further north.  Today's attempts include huddling together in the warmth of the dash board vent and the recently-elusive dazzling rays of sunshine.

Still cold.

But they will be tucked in the cozy comfort of their own bed soon.  They are happy, happy feet after all for all the miles traveled.  As am I, still filled with the magic of every warm embrace given by loved ones seen far too infrequently.