Grumpy
Side of 60
Bring
on the global warming
By
Bob Robinson
I was
flabbergasted. I had to ask him again to make sure I heard him right.
He grinned and said, “Yep, I hope we get a really big one.”
Big
as in the blizzard of ’78? “Yep.” Big grin.
“You
know, I wasn’t here but I understand people were stranded for days,
maybe weeks.” He nodded, grinning. “You couldn’t get around
anywhere without a snowmobile. Power was out everywhere. Evacuations
(by snowmobile) to safety areas in town…”
He
nodded, grinning. “And you want that?” He nodded, still grinning.
“I want to experience it.”
One
of my post-secondary Edison students.
I
thought back to my high school days and tried to look at it from his
perspective. Lincoln, Nebraska. Snow six or seven months a year, with
a minimum of four or five snow storms. Drifts six and seven feet
high. Didn’t really bother me, but did I relish it? Nope. Did I
want to be stranded for a week or two at a time? No power? No way to
get to the local drug store for my cherry milkshake? Or King’s
Drive-in for my burger, fries and vanilla coke?
No
thanks, I’ll pass.
I
looked around the class. Seemed I was the only one taken back by the
statement. Half of my students in this particular class were in high
school and they were simply happy to have another snow day. The other
half – still kids by my standards – said they were starting to
get a little tired of our non-stop winter.
Non-stop
as in I can’t remember a day this year we haven’t had snow or
below freezing temperatures or both. Well, I guess a couple days…
everything melted only to be frozen over (or covered with a white
blanket) in the next day or two.
Wednesday.
Another four to six inches (depending on who’s counting). Schools
closed… except Edison, and some students, most of whom are
post-secondary, grumbling. They think Edison should have the same
calamity days as their high school. As one young lady put it…
“I
love the weather… except for this class!”
Another
student said she didn’t get a break at all… all of her Wednesday
classes were at Edison.
I
will give them credit though. They were told when they started PSEOP
it’s unusual for the college to be closed due to weather. So all
students except two showed up; I wouldn’t have been surprised if
only half had made it. I almost didn’t. Our driveway is an easy 100
to 150 yards long… had to be plowed out. I still managed to get
stuck on some ice patches. My stepson had to push me out so I could
get a grip on the snow. Bless him!!
Once
again, for what seems like the hundredth time, I found myself
navigating snow and ice covered streets. Once again I needed help
just getting out of my driveway. Once again I found myself thinking
“this is getting old… really old!” Once again I flip my wipers
on, only to be reminded they desperately need replacing. Winter ice
has pretty much destroyed them. Once again I remind myself I can
handle the cold, but please… please don’t let it be windy. And
once again I climb out of my car only to have the “wind chill”
factor take my breath away and send chills through my body.
And
for the first time I can remember, I finally started to recover from
a bout with the flu only to turn around and get hit with the common,
every day garden variety cold!
I
never thought I’d say this because there are very few things I
really, really hate. Right now, however, winter is at the top of the
list…
“I
hate winter!”
As my
boss once told me, bring on the Global Warming. We’ll both vote for
it!
Published
courtesy of The Early Bird
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