Bring It
Nor'Easter's a comin'! Nor'Easter's a comin'!
Alright, maybe not exactly a Nor'Easter, but as Topper Shutt on Channel 9 News reports with deep-voice seriousness, "a significant snow event."
I'm a "hike up your snow pants and clinch'em tight with a 'snow belt'" kind of girl. Grew up just South of Lake Erie, in a little town called Edinboro. When my parents purchased their house, they obviously did not realize that it had a target on its roof, a bull's eye which translates to this freaky phenomenon: It may not be snowing next door, but the airflow, temperature, and exact proximity to the lake will produce feet of white stuff just off of my parent's front porch. I kid you not. When the local meteorologists speak stats, you hear something like this: Erie-4 inches, North East-6 inches, Cambridge Springs-7 inches, Edinboro-14 inches, Cathie's parent's house-37 inches.
Oh, and I've got to add. My bus driver lodged a pail full of ashes beside the gearshift of the bus, so if the roads got too icy (and this truly frightens me), she could slide the bus to a stop, climb out with the bucket, sprinkle ashes over the wheels of the bus and the ground, then move us on out again. No thought of radioing the school district and saying "I just can't drive in this shit!"
So, living in MD, I miss the snow, but am able to celebrate it when it happens here because, unlike NW PA (where everyone rallies in their big trucks and warms their hands in the cold, early AMs on plastic mugs steaming with coffee), the state of Maryland (and DC and NE Virginia) virtually SHUTS DOWN at the slightest threat of snow. That translates to no driving, no working, and no responsibility. That means play time.
Which prompts me to reminisce, on the cusp of this pseudo-blizzard, about my top 5 winter moments:
1. 21 years old, Blizzard of '93, and getting snowed in (over 3 feet) at Knight's Movie Store because, God forbid we might close the place early so that the employees (me and a 16 year old) could get home--MUST keep videos available to truck driving public. The only other establishment in town open that night? John's Wildwood Pizza. Spent TWO nights at the Movie Store (no showers, no tooth brushing, no fresh underpants, no nothin').
2. Yearly snow party at Edinboro Hotel Bar, which breaks down to this: First snow=25 cent jumbo drafts. A wonderful, wonderful tradition. Crowds attend. Don't know the name of the mastermind who brainstormed the event but I can imagine the thought process behind it, "First inclement weather of the season . . . slippery roads . . . out of practice drivers . . . yes, must provide CHEAP ALCOHOL!" Hell, I celebrated the First Snow there many a year (and afterward, went tumbling over mountains of plowed snow and created snow angels in parking lots). To be honest, I'm surprised that no one has ever died participating in this tradition. But, if you're ever in Edinboro during their first snow, it is a must attend event.
3. That one moment, upon moving to WV, when I realized that the mere threat of snow closes school. Imagine my surprise upon seeing all of the portable radios in classrooms come December, to monitor the forecast. Imagine my surprise when the school dismissed early because a flurry was predicted. Imagine my surprise when NOT A DROP of precipitation fell to the ground. Imagine my surprise when everyone justified the decision as "better safe than sorry." Imagine my surprise upon discovering that the school district didn't include make-up days for snow (i.e. "We missed 82 days for snow and there's only 175 days in the school year? Well, at least we got in a good 93 days.") No wonder there are WV jokes.
4. First Winter in WV (1995-96), Blizzard hits and truly immobilizes town for 5 days. 3 feet=disaster for these people. No Coke at house because all stores closed. No school for 2 weeks. I was a newlywed--what did I care about being snowed in? In fact, I welcomed it.
5. I was 17. My mom was driving me home from an event. Our dirt road was a sheet of dirty ice. I cautioned her to slow down. She spat, "I know this road like the back of my hand." Rapid flicking of her wrist to show both sides of her hand accompanied this remark. Within seconds, the car veered off the road and into the ditch. We walked the rest of the way to the house.
Today, I'm heading to the grocery store with legions of other panicked folk. We will buy our necessities, just in case. Just in case what, I don't know, but just in case.
I visualize myself in a warm house tomorrow, potato-leek soup simmering on the stove, book queue in front of me, children glued to the window and licking the glass. No errands to run.
Unless it misses us. Which is a possibility.
And then, I'll be so disappointed.
I'll just have to pretend.
Bring it.
Alright, maybe not exactly a Nor'Easter, but as Topper Shutt on Channel 9 News reports with deep-voice seriousness, "a significant snow event."
I'm a "hike up your snow pants and clinch'em tight with a 'snow belt'" kind of girl. Grew up just South of Lake Erie, in a little town called Edinboro. When my parents purchased their house, they obviously did not realize that it had a target on its roof, a bull's eye which translates to this freaky phenomenon: It may not be snowing next door, but the airflow, temperature, and exact proximity to the lake will produce feet of white stuff just off of my parent's front porch. I kid you not. When the local meteorologists speak stats, you hear something like this: Erie-4 inches, North East-6 inches, Cambridge Springs-7 inches, Edinboro-14 inches, Cathie's parent's house-37 inches.
Oh, and I've got to add. My bus driver lodged a pail full of ashes beside the gearshift of the bus, so if the roads got too icy (and this truly frightens me), she could slide the bus to a stop, climb out with the bucket, sprinkle ashes over the wheels of the bus and the ground, then move us on out again. No thought of radioing the school district and saying "I just can't drive in this shit!"
So, living in MD, I miss the snow, but am able to celebrate it when it happens here because, unlike NW PA (where everyone rallies in their big trucks and warms their hands in the cold, early AMs on plastic mugs steaming with coffee), the state of Maryland (and DC and NE Virginia) virtually SHUTS DOWN at the slightest threat of snow. That translates to no driving, no working, and no responsibility. That means play time.
Which prompts me to reminisce, on the cusp of this pseudo-blizzard, about my top 5 winter moments:
1. 21 years old, Blizzard of '93, and getting snowed in (over 3 feet) at Knight's Movie Store because, God forbid we might close the place early so that the employees (me and a 16 year old) could get home--MUST keep videos available to truck driving public. The only other establishment in town open that night? John's Wildwood Pizza. Spent TWO nights at the Movie Store (no showers, no tooth brushing, no fresh underpants, no nothin').
2. Yearly snow party at Edinboro Hotel Bar, which breaks down to this: First snow=25 cent jumbo drafts. A wonderful, wonderful tradition. Crowds attend. Don't know the name of the mastermind who brainstormed the event but I can imagine the thought process behind it, "First inclement weather of the season . . . slippery roads . . . out of practice drivers . . . yes, must provide CHEAP ALCOHOL!" Hell, I celebrated the First Snow there many a year (and afterward, went tumbling over mountains of plowed snow and created snow angels in parking lots). To be honest, I'm surprised that no one has ever died participating in this tradition. But, if you're ever in Edinboro during their first snow, it is a must attend event.
3. That one moment, upon moving to WV, when I realized that the mere threat of snow closes school. Imagine my surprise upon seeing all of the portable radios in classrooms come December, to monitor the forecast. Imagine my surprise when the school dismissed early because a flurry was predicted. Imagine my surprise when NOT A DROP of precipitation fell to the ground. Imagine my surprise when everyone justified the decision as "better safe than sorry." Imagine my surprise upon discovering that the school district didn't include make-up days for snow (i.e. "We missed 82 days for snow and there's only 175 days in the school year? Well, at least we got in a good 93 days.") No wonder there are WV jokes.
4. First Winter in WV (1995-96), Blizzard hits and truly immobilizes town for 5 days. 3 feet=disaster for these people. No Coke at house because all stores closed. No school for 2 weeks. I was a newlywed--what did I care about being snowed in? In fact, I welcomed it.
5. I was 17. My mom was driving me home from an event. Our dirt road was a sheet of dirty ice. I cautioned her to slow down. She spat, "I know this road like the back of my hand." Rapid flicking of her wrist to show both sides of her hand accompanied this remark. Within seconds, the car veered off the road and into the ditch. We walked the rest of the way to the house.
Today, I'm heading to the grocery store with legions of other panicked folk. We will buy our necessities, just in case. Just in case what, I don't know, but just in case.
I visualize myself in a warm house tomorrow, potato-leek soup simmering on the stove, book queue in front of me, children glued to the window and licking the glass. No errands to run.
Unless it misses us. Which is a possibility.
And then, I'll be so disappointed.
I'll just have to pretend.
Bring it.
posted by Cate at 7:23 AM
12 Comments:
"slippery roads . . . out of practice drivers . . . yes, must provide CHEAP ALCOHOL!"
Priceless! Thanks for the morning chuckle.
a.
oh, this is the right winter attitude. bring it! i hope your dream comes true.
You know the bar people are always the most ingenious with their "promotions." Isn't Edinboro also a college town? I have always thought that college towns have THE BEST reasons to give cheap drinks. I went to a small school where the local bar has a drink special for "hunter's only." Show 'em your license and your drinks are like 10 cents or something type a deal.
As always, love your stories. You sure seem to have lived a fun life!
Read ya' later!
I have tears in my eyes from laughing so hard... you crack me up, girl!
Right after I moved to Georgia, they had a something they refered to as "Winter Storm 2002!!!!" Which included like an inch of snow and a bit of ice. Yeah, I know, no salt trucks down here, safe then sorry blah blah.. well.. imagine my surprise when as soon as a flurry was seen.. they closed the mall. Cate, the mall! I am not much of a shopper, but that annoyed the piss out of me.
I love the first snow 25 cents drinks thing. Sounds like too much fun and I would totaly be making snow angels with you.
I too love a good snow storm if I am safe and warm at home. The snow storm of the century occurred in Manitoba in 1997. The hospital where I am employed sent out a 4X4 to pick me up for work. It was the last vehicle to pass through our street for 36 hours. I spent the next 30 hours working non-stop with occasional rest breaks in the intensive care unit. We were all exhausted.
If your snow comes..I wish you a warm home and plenty of hot chocolate. :-)
I hate when they predict a big snow and nothing happens!
I hope you get what you want :)
Bradley
The Egel Nest
I'm always so jealous of snow stories. I have absolutely none.
I'm jealous. I wish it were heading my way.
In 2000, we got over two feet of snow in less than twenty-four hours here in NC. It shut everything down for almost two weeks. We were without power for a week and a half. It was scary and marvelous.
So have you gotten any of the white stuff yet, Cate?
We have about 2" in my corner of Kentucky, very wet, heavy, clingy-type snow, and it's still coming down.
Thanks, everyone, for the comments. I just put out a new post to aprise of current conditions.
Human Z, giving hunters cheap alcohol is about as smart as providing it during inclement weather. I just checked the website for the Edinboro Hotel Bar and I saw, in their pictures section, that yes indeedy, the Snow Party still gets celebrated. BEAUTIFUL. I also noticed that the co-eds (yes, college town) are skinnier and wear less clothes than my friends and I ever did. You should check out the site--you'll drool on your fur!
Colleen, I always forget about the people who HAVE to get to work, like medical people. You all are my heroes--what an amazing story that was. I'll bet it was awful (but you'll never forget it).
Kat, that's one thing I don't like--being without power. It takes all the fun out of being snowed in. A week and a half is a looonng time!
Deb,
I'm jealous. If Rita and I were in your yard, we could all do snow angels!
Wow, stuck in a store for two days! I've joked about being snowed in or iced in at work but hasn't happened yet. I shall have to put on my to do list to experience a proper blizzard one day.
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