This week it’s been oppressively hot here in Greenville. Yesterday, depending on which thermometer you looked at or what weather report you heard, the temp hit anywhere from 101 to 103 degrees. It is supposed to do the same today and tomorrow, but they say cooler temps are coming this weekend - like 90 to 95 degrees is cool?! I guess in comparison, it is.
I’ve heard several people joking about moving north. I remind them that several weeks ago it was the northernmost states who were having 100+ degree temperatures, and do they *really* want to endure their winters?! I thought of an old classic to share with you today about a Southerner who moved north.
Diary of a Southerner who moves to Montana
December 8: 6:00 PM. It started to snow. The first snow of the season and my wife and I sat for hours by the window watching the huge soft flakes drift down from heaven. It looked like a Grandma Moses Print. So romantic we felt like newlyweds again. I love snow!
December 9: We woke to a beautiful blanket of crystal white snow covering every inch of the landscape. What a fantastic sight! Can there be a more lovely place in the whole world? Moving here was the best idea I’ve ever had. Shoveled for the first time in years and felt like a boy again. I did both our driveway and the sidewalks. This afternoon the snow plow came along and covered up the sidewalks and closed in the driveway so I got to shovel again. What a perfect life.
December 12: The sun has melted all our lovely snow. Such a disappointment. My neighbor tells me not to worry, we’ll definitely have a white Christmas. No snow on Christmas would be awful! Bob says we’ll have so much snow by the end of winter, that I’ll never want to see snow again. I don’t think that’s possible. Bob is such a nice man I’m glad he’s our neighbor.
December 14: Snow, lovely snow! 8″ last night. The temperature dropped to -20. The cold makes everything sparkle so. The wind took my breath away, but I warmed up by shoveling the driveway and sidewalks. This is the life! The snow plow came back this afternoon and buried everything again. I didn’t realize I would have to do quite this much shoveling, but I’ll certainly get back in shape this way. I wish I wouldn’t huff and puff so.
December 15: 20 inches forecast. Sold my van and bought a 4×4 Blazer. Bought snow tires for my wife’s car and 2 extra shovels. Stocked the freezer. My wife wants a wood stove in case the electricity goes out. I think that’s silly. We aren’t in Alaska, after all.
December 16: Ice storm this morning. Fell on my bottom on the ice in the driveway putting down salt. Hurts like crazy. My wife laughed for an hour, which I think was very cruel.
December 17: Still way below freezing. Roads are too icy to go anywhere. Electricity was off for 5 hours. I had to pile the blankets on to stay warm. Nothing to do but stare at my wife and try not to irritate her. Guess I should have bought a wood stove, but won’t admit it to her. I hate it when she’s right. I can’t believe I’m freezing to death in my own living room.
December 20: Electricity’s back on, but had another 14″ of the stuff last night. More shoveling. Took all day. Snow plow came by twice. Tried to find a neighbor kid to shovel, but they said they’re too busy playing hockey. I think they’re lying. Called the only hardware store around to see about buying a snow blower and they’re out. Might have another shipment in March. I think they’re lying. Bob says I have to shovel or the city will have it done and bill me. I think he’s lying.
December 22: Bob was right about a white Christmas because 13 more inches of the white stuff fell today, and it’s so cold it probably won’t melt till August. Took me 45 minutes to get all dressed up to go out to shovel and then I had to go to the bathroom. By the time I got undressed, and dressed again, I was too tired to shovel. Tried to hire Bob who has a plow on his truck for the rest of the winter; but he says he’s too busy. I think he’s lying.
December 23: Only 2″ of snow today. And it warmed up to 0. My wife wanted me to decorate the front of the house this morning. What is she, nuts?! Why didn’t she tell me to do that a month ago? She says she did but I think she’s lying.
December 24: another 6″. Snow packed so hard by snow plow, I broke the shovel. Thought I was having a heart attack. If I ever catch the guy who drives that snow plow, I’ll drag him through the snow. I know he hides around the corner and waits for me to finish shoveling and then he comes down the street at 100 miles an hour and throws snow all over where I’ve just been! Tonight my wife wanted me to sing Christmas carols with her and open our presents, but I was busy watching for the snow plow.
December 25: Merry Christmas. 20 more inches of the stuff tonight. Snowed in. The idea of shoveling makes my blood boil. I hate the snow! Then the snow plow driver came by asking for a donation and I hit him over the head with my shovel. The wife says I have a bad attitude. I think she’s an idiot. If I have to watch “It’s a Wonderful Life” one more time, I’m going to shoot the television.
December 26: Still snowed in. Why did I ever move here? It was all HER idea. She’s really getting on my nerves.
December 27: Temperature dropped to -30 and the pipes froze.
December 28: Warmed up to above -20. Still snowed in. THE WIFE is driving me crazy!!!!!
December 29: 10 more inches. Bob says I have to shovel the roof or it could cave in. That’s the silliest thing I ever heard. How dumb does he think I am?
December 30: Roof caved in. The snow plow driver is suing me for a million dollars. My wife went home to her mother. 9″ predicted.
December 31: Set fire to what’s left of the house. No more shoveling.
January 8: I feel so good. What are those little white pills they keep giving me? Why am I tied to the bed?
***
Today our grandson Drew is five months old. The doctor says for most baby milestones - sitting up, teething, etc. - it’s best to think of him still as being 6 weeks younger than he is since he was born 6 weeks early. Jim is a real sports enthusiast, loves baseball hats, and is glad that Drew is finally big enough to wear hats. Megan sent us a couple of pictures we thought we’d share on the blog.
quotation…
“Rather than being pessimistic about life changing, be optimistic because it’s God making the changes.” - Dr. Drew Conley
=^..^= =^..^=
Rob
What do you get when you cross a snowman with a vampire?
Frostbite
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on Aug 9th, 2007 at 8:42 am
I was born and raised in Wisconsin - I can relate! Rob, that grandson of yours just keeps getting cuter all the time!!
on Aug 9th, 2007 at 8:57 am
Drew looks so cute all dressed up with Dad!
Really enjoyed the iv today!
on Aug 9th, 2007 at 9:03 am
I’m one of those people who is now in the north (Michigan) after having lived for some time in SC. You’re right about the high temps up here. It has been great lately! But I know that the snow and cold is coming! Last winter I was able to pick up a used snow blower for $25. Best use of $25 ever! Only wish the cold could be remedied as easily!
on Aug 9th, 2007 at 9:59 am
It makes me miss the west!
on Aug 9th, 2007 at 10:22 am
I am very thankful for our AC in Wake Forest, NC!!
We used to live in Cleveland,Ohio without AC. July 1-5 of 1999 the weather was almost like it is now. We spent days at the mall cooling off and swimming at the pool. I did hate the second of our only 2 winters there, 65 inches of snow and very cold frigid days.
I miss living in Columbus, Ohio which we did for 6.5 years. This past February when we were having 35 degree weather and they had days of sub zero and the kids missed 4 straight days of school-Wake Forest sounded better each day.
I could on and on about weather stories but the one thing I have learned that almost no matter where you are living for any season if the weather is extremly different then what you normally have then most of the time the rest of the country is having it and years later people talk about the winter of 1994, summer of 1999, summer of 2007!!
By the way your grandson is adorable.
on Aug 9th, 2007 at 11:38 am
I used to think that “Diary” was hilarious. Living just South of Detroit, (the Downriver area), was not so bad. Last year our biggest snowfall was on Easter!
However, now living in Ashtabula, I am being told to expect snow like never before. We are in the snow-belt and get plenty of lake effect. Watch for my diary on my blog! Notify appropriate authorities if you notice me changing like our friend in the “diary!”
on Aug 9th, 2007 at 12:19 pm
For a long time yesterday our thermometer read 104 or 105 and for a few minutes it reached 107! I think it’s a pretty good thermometer, so it probably wasn’t too far off. Phew!!!!
We lived in Minnesota until I was 11. I remember it getting “real warm” in the spring (in the 40s) and we would go out and chop lots and lots of ice on our driveway.
on Aug 9th, 2007 at 6:30 pm
Hope the snowblower works this year (just had it worked on.) Last winter it quit on Valentine’s Day during our first decent storm (15″) in two years. And it didn’t work as we had four more - 10″, 8″, 18″, 11″, the last two in April. I still like snow! Maybe I need those little pills.
Rob adds:
Tom, sounds like it knows how to snow up there in Maine!
on Aug 12th, 2007 at 8:45 pm
Bonjour M. Loach,
Thank you for stopping by my blog. I have visited yours a few times and have died laughing at the funny things that you have posted.:) The last time my in-laws were here, I read the blog entry that had the funny quotes from the athletes. They were in stitches!
I was not sure if you would remember who I was. What fun I had in your French classes. You and Dr. Byers made the French language fun to learn. I must confess that I don’t remember too much - I know, shame on me:).
I would imagine that you LOVE being a grandfather. Michael’s parents and my parents think that little Michael is the cat’s meow. It makes me a little sad to think that they won’t get to watch him grow up. I am thankful for how God is working and will continue to work in our lives here in Knoxville. Even though I miss Vermont, I will not miss the frigid temperatures that come in January. Thanks again for commenting on my blog. I will be sure to stop by yours - probably when I need some belly laughs:).
Sincerely,
Rachel Feehan