If you live in the Midwest, or the North, or the Northeast, or the Mountains of Anywhere, you are probably shocked by the sight of entire highway systems coming to a dead stop in Georgia over what we might call a skiff of snow.
It is almost beyond belief that dozens of children spent the night on school busses stopped in traffic. Others made it back to their schools. They spent the night with dedicated teachers who scrounged the cafeteria for food.
This is almost beyond belief for those of us who have been known to carry a shovel in the backseat so we can dig through the drifts to get home. But, it all comes down to expectations. We winter-dwellers expect to fight snow. We own boots. We buy sidewalk salt. We pay taxes for road crews with big ole’ trucks and blades.
And, we complain anyway.
After watching the news from Atlanta, I am vowing to complain less. Instead of griping about the wind-chill and the snow drift in my driveway, I’m going to be grateful for my all-wheel-drive car. And for the neighbor boys who scoop my walk. And for the workers who plow all night.
I’m going to be glad that even here in blizzard country none of my children ever failed to make it home from school. I never spent the night in my car on the Interstate.
And, most of all, I’m going to be grateful that spring always comes!
This same type of thing happened several years ago in Raleigh. I ended up spending the night at some friend’s house because I knew there was no way I would make it home. Paul Kidd’s typical 30 minute drive took 13 hours!
You’re right that it is about expectations. No one expected that HALF AN INCH of ice could shut down the whole city. Everyone expected that even though we’re Southerners, we would know how to drive in the ice, never mind the fact that we didn’t have all-wheel drive, or chains on our tires, or sandbags in our trunks.
So today, I’m grateful for being safe and sound at home, even though the heater periodically stops working. I’m glad that we got a little bit of snow, and I’m mostly glad that it will be 65 degrees on Sunday. 🙂
Thanks for the post.
I’m so glad you are mostly snug today, Anna! Thanks for joining the conversation today.
Kathy-I’m thinking you were out of high school when we had the snow in April of 1973. But I remember Leon Thurman walking in front of the school bus from Plainview to his house, so that parents could get to his house to get their kids. But I’m sure you’re parents remember it. I’m not sure if Martha got home that afternoon or not. Some of the kids had to stay in town. Bill and Wayne made it up to Leon’s to get all the Barnesville kids.
I’m so thankful for our MODOT and county workers who keep our roads cleared and for our neighbors who help us out, and for the warm homes we have, and as you said that spring will come.
Oh, Willadean! I was in school and remember that day well! We must have ridden home from school with our mom, because I don’t remember the story about Leon. But it sounds just like him!
Our dad didn’t make it home from work that night, but he got to Grandma’s house. We all lost phone service, so I remember KTVO broadcasting personal messages all night to let families know where everyone was and that they were safe.
That storm took us by surprise much like this one did in Georgia. Thanks for the memories!
Oh look at that picture of my White babies!! I’m pretty sure I took that picture! One of my favorite snow memories 🙂
Exactly what I noticed, Heather! My babies! : )
My head’s been a little buried in the sand – I didn’t even see the headlines about Atlanta. It does put things in perspective. It snowed all morning here and was quite slick, and yet all went on as normal. Weekend events are cancelled, though. I think maybe I’d like to live in a place where half an inch is shocking. Maybe. 🙂
Serenity, I think you would like it. 🙂 I didn’t leave my house from Tuesday afternoon to Friday afternoon because we only got about 2 inches of snow. Everything was canceled. It leaves lots of time for reading, writing, relaxing. It’s lovely. And snow is always an exciting thing because it happens so rarely.
My granddaughter was in that mess in Atlanta, and thankfully, made it to the daycare to pick up her daughter and on home. It took her 8 1/2 hrs. to go 14 miles. Her brother-in-law spent the night in his car and walked the 7 miles home the next morning.
Oh, my goodness, Sarah Beth! What a nightmare.