Tuesday, April 9, 2013

Am I Grumpy? Snow Falls Today

As a kid growing up in the South, appreciable snowfall was rare. My hometown also didn't have snow removal equipment. So, if we got two or three inches, the city was virtually shut down. I loved those days when school was closed due to snow. We didn't get them every school year, but when it happened it was a joyous occasion.

As an adult, my perspective had to change. Kids had to be squared away. No school nor after-school care meant scrambling for short-notice arrangements. At work, we had late-reporting procedures. If you got to work too early, you were in the way while road crews cleared streets, parking lots, etc. The years I flew, snow meant delayed or cancelled takeoffs. That led to lost training opportunities, not to mention increased risk flying in inclement weather. Furthermore, carrying winter gear on the jet meant a little more work keeping track of it all. None of these things were show-stoppers, but added responsibility and effort.

Now, as a retiree, snow is a different type of symbol. Wet, heavy April snow is notorious as a cause for numerous snow shovelling heart attacks. Slush on the roads makes travel a pain in the butt. After a winter of cold, springtime snow is accompanied by a blast of cold air my body just doesn't enjoy anymore. It's not "bracing". It's chilling, down to the bone.

Yeah, we need snow from time to time. It's up to me to adjust. I'd rather near a warm beach, listening to gentle waves flow towards me.

Does that make me a grumpy old man? Probably...

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