Lighting Up The Snow and Winter Fun

We took down the Christmas tree this week. I was really sorry to see it go this year. We had put it up a week late, due to our home being a wreck during the recent redecorating of our office/study and I guess I didn't get my fill of the lights, so I was sorry to see it come down. It's like the light going out of your life (and whatever am I going to put in that dark spot in the living room?) However, we have a way of keeping Christmas in mind through March every year. We leave our lights up outside until after the first snow. Yes, we have snow in Memphis. We just have less of it than say, Chicago, New York or Detroit. We get about 4 inches per year, and if we get it all at once, that's a good snowfall! A snow that big begs to be celebrated. It goes without saying that the city shuts down, due to all the slippin' and slidin' going on on the road. And when it snows those big, wet flakes... ahhhhhhh... there's nothing like it. But I digress.

Snow is big news here. Whenever there is even a HINT of wintry weather coming our way, as was the case TWICE in the past week, you'll hear Dave Brown doing a teaser "Is snow in our forecast? Find out at 5." Uh huh. Most of the time, we don't get it. But when we DO... and it looks like it's going to be a good snowfall... by that I mean that it's the sticking kind, not the "I'm gonna make Memphis look worse wet than it does dry" kind, we hook the extension cord up to the lights that have been patiently waiting since everyone else kicked their Christmas trees to the curb the day after Christmas, and voila! Instant holiday spirit! We go out in the snow and let Tucker get a good romp in it, and watch as the chihuahuas pick up their tiny feet and look up at us as if to say "I don't like it, I don't like it, I don't like it..." We watch as cars go by, swerving all over the road as the driver tries to get a glimpse of our lights and keep both hands on the wheel while trying to avoid the next crazy motorist. A common sentiment here is "I know how to drive in it, it's just all the other idiots don't!" With that logic, it would seem that all Memphians know how to drive in snow. (Most of them can't even drive when it's dry, but again, I digress.)

Last year, we had a 4 inch snowfall, turned on our Christmas lights, took pictures, and sent them to the local tv station with a picture of Tennessee Tucker Blue in it. No surprise that it ended up on the news. Anything with "Tennessee" in it, will usually garner a few minutes of air time. And with the "Great White Death" coming out of the sky... well, you know it's definitely going to hit the news.

I remember one year when the boys were small, that we had a decent storm come through. There was ice, then snow, then ice again. Of course, we stayed home from work and school... long enough to get our sled out and trek over to the nearest hill. The boys had never been sledding before, and as a seasoned Chicagoan, I was anxious to show them the joys and travails of traveling down a frosty slope on two thin blades of metal at breakneck speed. The boys were asking us "how do we do it" so I took that occasion to put my behind on that poor little sled and mushed down the hill. What a great glide! The boys wanted in on the action, and fought over who went next. First was Jason, then Rhys rode with Steve. Over and over again, they took to the hill with gleaming smiles and rosy cheeks. I think I only got one more turn down the hill, but I didn't care. Just watching the guys made my heart glow. Our neighbors caught up with us at the very same hill, armed with nothing but a piece of cardboard box for a sled. Everyone had a blast. And when our fingers and toes were good and frozen, lips numb and noses running, back to the house we went for some homemade hot cocoa and apple pie. Mmmmmmmm.... Sounds good! I think I'll go have some. There's no snow, but that's no reason not to have pie!

So... no snow for now. But it's still January, and the latest snowfall we remember is March 7 of 2008. But those lights are ready, just in case...

Nazdrovie'

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