This Winter is Eternal
Near the beginning of January we had a significant snowfall. Almost two feet of very wet snow fell in less than 24 hours. Where does all that snow go when it melts? We don't know yet. It hasn't melted. It's tried a couple of times, but we just have caverns under the snow. Even though the bright sunshine lands on the top of the snow, it seems to melt from underneath. The actually height of the snow (about hip-high on me)has not diminished. Actually, it has grown. It snowed again. And again. D--- that groundhog! The snow plows have come along and piled the snow in not-so-strategic spots. Now we have to dig out the end our our driveway--again. People with snowblowers are usually very kind to their neighbors, but now they are doing the right thing while muttering the wrong thing under their breath. Those of us without snowblowers should probably give those with snowblowers a dollar.
This much winter (which in Utah begins with the anticipation of winter in September, the procrastination of the preparations for winter in October, the "aren't-we-lucky-it-hasn't-snowed-yet-despite-the-chill-in-the-winter in November, the "why-aren't-we-having-a-white-Christmas" December, and oh my heck! I've never seen so much snow and I wish I'd gotten the snow shovel off the lawn so I could find it now in January)brings other results. There are, of course, the natural winter injuries. Last week a lady came to the high school where I work in a wheelchair with crutches attached to the back. Her leg was in a cast. Her arm was in a cast. It was a ski injury. She lamented the premature ending of her ski season. One of our neighbors slipped on ice on another neighbor's porch and broke her elbow. A freshman that I know has had a snowmobiling accident that resulted in surgery and pins in his arm. The physical therapists in this town can all afford to travel at the height of the summer season. Last year we were the ones with the injuries. Well, we had one significant injury. Savannah was on a sledding double date (and a half--she had two boys with her) and she broke her back. Last summer I got rid of all our sleds and sledding devices. This year she went sledding in back of the high school on a lunch tray. I'm not sure why she told me about it. She must like the look of me when I am controlling my temper. Many shades of red, I'm sure. Minerva Teichert would be proud.
Then there are the winter moods. None of them are good. It's like constant PMS and whatever 12-year-old boys get that is even worse. We need to walk off the holiday cheer, but we look outside and remember our friends in casts and braces and put it off until March. Then we'll look outside and put it off until April. Just that knowledge makes us even more fretful.
Humans should definitely hibernate. We won't have to notice how short our days are. We can wake up to drink water, go to the bathroom, and change the channel. Then we won't need to be happy because everyone else will be asleep.
Today I discovered a brief respite to the frustration of the weather. Chinese food. I'm sure it wouldn't work every day, but it really seemed to help today. It probably helps that my boss went out and bought it for my office partner and me. I'm sure it helped that I got to pick out my own dinner which came with fried rice and eggroll. I'm just as sure that it won't carry my mood until the great melting of the snow. If the sun weren't deceptively shining, it would look like "The Day After Tomorrow" out there. Maybe next week, we'll order Mexican. Then in April, 'er May we'll start that walking.
This much winter (which in Utah begins with the anticipation of winter in September, the procrastination of the preparations for winter in October, the "aren't-we-lucky-it-hasn't-snowed-yet-despite-the-chill-in-the-winter in November, the "why-aren't-we-having-a-white-Christmas" December, and oh my heck! I've never seen so much snow and I wish I'd gotten the snow shovel off the lawn so I could find it now in January)brings other results. There are, of course, the natural winter injuries. Last week a lady came to the high school where I work in a wheelchair with crutches attached to the back. Her leg was in a cast. Her arm was in a cast. It was a ski injury. She lamented the premature ending of her ski season. One of our neighbors slipped on ice on another neighbor's porch and broke her elbow. A freshman that I know has had a snowmobiling accident that resulted in surgery and pins in his arm. The physical therapists in this town can all afford to travel at the height of the summer season. Last year we were the ones with the injuries. Well, we had one significant injury. Savannah was on a sledding double date (and a half--she had two boys with her) and she broke her back. Last summer I got rid of all our sleds and sledding devices. This year she went sledding in back of the high school on a lunch tray. I'm not sure why she told me about it. She must like the look of me when I am controlling my temper. Many shades of red, I'm sure. Minerva Teichert would be proud.
Then there are the winter moods. None of them are good. It's like constant PMS and whatever 12-year-old boys get that is even worse. We need to walk off the holiday cheer, but we look outside and remember our friends in casts and braces and put it off until March. Then we'll look outside and put it off until April. Just that knowledge makes us even more fretful.
Humans should definitely hibernate. We won't have to notice how short our days are. We can wake up to drink water, go to the bathroom, and change the channel. Then we won't need to be happy because everyone else will be asleep.
Today I discovered a brief respite to the frustration of the weather. Chinese food. I'm sure it wouldn't work every day, but it really seemed to help today. It probably helps that my boss went out and bought it for my office partner and me. I'm sure it helped that I got to pick out my own dinner which came with fried rice and eggroll. I'm just as sure that it won't carry my mood until the great melting of the snow. If the sun weren't deceptively shining, it would look like "The Day After Tomorrow" out there. Maybe next week, we'll order Mexican. Then in April, 'er May we'll start that walking.