I am from UPSTATE NY NOT to be confused with NYC please!!!  I will have some do/don’t for that in another blog.  In any case, when I was a kid, I used to lie in bed and PRAY for 12 inches of snow so that the schools would close.  Two reasons, I hated to get up and more than likely I hadn’t done my homework.  I was NOT a child who loved school obviously.  Alas, schools normally opened so I’d have to go to Plan B.  When my dad called me to get ready, I’d tell him I was sick.  He’d say “oh, feel better” and that was it.  Then my mother would come get me and basically say “suck it up, buttercup!”.  She knew when I was faking!

Then I married an Army man (no choice, he was drafted – remember those days?).  Our first duty station was Brooklyn, NY where I was introduced to my first roach.  I had NO idea that they even existed.  I didn’t care WHERE we were transferred as long as there were not bugs.  We moved to Anchorage, Alaska.  Whoa, talk about snow banks taller than me.  Ok, so I’m not that tall but they were taller than my husband and he was over 6 feet! 

My point is, I’m no stranger to snow but given a choice of living in NY or living in VA, I choose VA because they don’t have snow right????  WRONG!  My first winter here we had a HORRIBLE storm.  My friends in NY were laughing at me.  Yet, VA is not prepared for snow like NY was.  If someone says snow on the weather forecast, schools close; shelves in the stores are picked bare of groceries.  We’re not even talking an inch, much less at least 12!!!  Why didn’t I live HERE as a kid?? 

Well, it snowed this weekend.  It was a heavy, wet snow – actually great for snowballs or snowmen.  Not so good on the back when you’re shoveling.  So, what do you do???  You “suck it up, buttercup” and go snow tubing. 

The first run down was quite dicey.  No one told me to kind of lean back in the tube a little and hold my legs up.  You’re on your own at the top of the hill.  Well, I spun down the whole way!  By the time I got to the end, I thought I was going to get sick.  That was not an option for me so I got my bearings, talked to some people, learned the trick and did it again.  Once I got the hang of it, it was great.  However, one of the ladies (and I’m not really sure WHAT she did) as she was going down, fell out of the tube and hit her head.  I guess she won’t be tubing again any time in the near future.  She was alright but they took her to the hospital for tests to make sure. 

So, if you’re in a place that has a lot of snow, get out in it!!  I don’t downhill ski – I’d surely break my neck.  I cross country on occasion.  If you snow tube (which is really quite safe), please keep your feet up and lean back a little then enjoy the ride.  Just getting out and walking  (carefully) can be invigorating. 

Until the next adventure (I have another snow tubing date coming up), enjoy Winter. I mean, do we have a choice??

Comments/Thoughts are welcome and encouraged.

~Debbi