Yesterday, as I was driving over to Cayuga Lake to show a property, I heard on NPR that the snowstorm due to arrive Wednesday would be "atrocious." What a word, I thought...then went to "the weather outside is frightful" almost immediately. If the storm came as promised, dumping 12 to 18 inches of snow overnight, then it might indeed be "atrocious."
As I may have already said before, I had clients who bought a house and closed in early December. As they were packing up to leave their home in Rochester the morning of their closing, they heard on the news that Rochester would be spared the new snowstorm swirling up the coast, "but if you want snow, move to Syracuse." They thought it was a great sign - of what, I'm still not sure. But certainly a marvelous story!
I saw in the paper today that Syracuse has three feet more snow than Rochester this season, four feet more than even Buffalo and a whopping six feet more than Albany. That's a lot! Yet everywhere I turn I run into people who grew up here who, like us, are thrilled with our old-fashioned winter.
I walked through the village last night, up Genesee past St. James and then back again, realizing that while my vest kept my core warm, my legs were frozen. But it was so beautiful and easy to walk. It wasn't icy at all, the snow compacted by many feet from the Winterfest on Saturday. I could walk - almost - as easily as I do in the summer.
Tomorrow we will awaken to snow, probably as much as predicted. Hopefully, perhaps I should say. About four years ago we went off to Florida in February, in part to see SU play the University of South Florida in Tampa. A blizzard was coming in, and we had a choice of cancelling or getting the last flight out. We went, and I loved going to the game wearing sandals, I must admit. But part of me wanted to be here for the blizzard. And maybe our choice to go was predicated on the certain knowledge that there would be other blizzards, other years.
We've made our preparations - Bob got a lot of wood in, I went to the store with an eye for not getting out the next day (half and half plus kitty litter were the must-haves). We are due a load of pellets tomorrow, but we talked about what we would do if it didn't come because of the snow. It's all exciting - just like when I was a little kid waiting for a snow day. I look forward to a day of snow-shoeing and reading (Juliet, by Anne Fortier) by the fire.
I know that there are many who don't share my excitement, but the snow will come anyway. I hope people can let it come, enjoy it, and take time to reflect on snowy days when they were young. Stay warm - eat oatmeal - make chocolate chip cookies and drink hot chocolate - fall asleep in your favorite chair, covered by a red plaid blanket. You're allowed - it's an atrocious snow day!
