Snow -- Mountain vs. Flatland

Amazing how sometimes you just start thinkin' (or at least my mind will) about the most random things! Sliding into work this morning (2 hrs late...so not slidin' as much as it would have been earlier), I started thinking about snow and how different it is now that I'm livin' in the city!

Here are a few key differences....

Snow Removal:
Mountain Style: Day 2 of snow, Grandpa would bring his John Deere bulldozer the half mile down to our house. Proceed to spend the bulk of the day pushing snow & gravel out of the driveway into the yard.
Flatland Style: Stops snowing. 30 minutes later, town truck comes to push snow out of the road. Obviously they have not done the thinking....powdery snow = some traction while snow melt = ice = skating rink as soon as it dips below freezing. Yes my dears, we had a skating rink situation this morning!!

Snow Days:
Mountain Style: Rejoice over no school. Proceed to basement (or other areas of the house) to clean the entire day. There might be time for a little reading or a little playing -- but primarily it is a day to clean house and do chores.
Flatland Style: Wake up. See that work is on Adverse Weather. Argue with Hubby K over whether it is safe to get to the office or not. He tells you it is not. Spend next 6 hours working on work stuff on the laptop. Stop working on work stuff -- proceed to some task around the house -- piddle an hour or two, then decide it's time to cook dinner. Retire to the couch to watch basketball. Somewhere, there is always someone on ESPN playing basketball when it snows.

Snow Driving:
Mountain Style: Don't sweat it. You have 4-wheel drive. You'll get where you need to be. If not, no big deal. Last week, you bought a months worth of groceries at Food Lion. Sure, you may run out of the good *junk* food, but you'll survive. No need to get out in the mess unless you have to. You know there isn't any reason to be out there until it clears up. And why go anywhere when you've got a postcard out your front window? Oh...don't forget to listen to the *scanner*. It'll tell you where the bad spots are (as if you don't have them committed to memory) and who's been in a wreck. As long as the power stays on,you're informed & entertained!
Flatland Style: Listen to TV. Learn of all the wrecks. Know wrecks come from people who just knew they could drive in this weather (read here: Yankees). Watch cars slip & slide. Be jealous because you know you want to leave the house too. Start going stir crazy 2 hours into being home. Feel the need to be somewhere - anywhere.


So, maybe it isn't exactly like this...but we'd spend days snowed/iced in at home (sometimes without power) for days growing up. Now, I think I'd go crazy....although I could probably get a LOT done if I just would! Maybe it's the difference between being *grown-up*, *mature*, *etc*.....but I miss the simplicity of snow days growing up in the mountains. I miss knowing it wouldn't be YEARS until the next snow. I miss flipping on the flood lights and watching the flakes from the window at the back porch. Especially, I miss Daddy making us clean house, work in the basement, etc... It's been nearly 12 years since I left my Blue Ridge home for college and another 8 since Daddy passed...

That's the thing about the "good ol' days"....when you're living them they seem crappy...the as time passes, you'd give your eye teeth to have just one more day like that.

Around 10 days ago, it thundered and we got snow....and they say if snow sticks around for more than 3 days, it's waiting for more...you know how superstitious mountain people are (maybe not..but they are!) Let's see how much snow is stickin' around come Friday!