More snow, just not here
There seems to be this bizarre aura that we Piffles carry with us. I can't explain it, but it has held true for untold years. We repel snow. Specifically, Charles repels snow. Cases in point:
1) He works / schools in Portland: Minimal snow for years except during weekends and school holidays.
2) He gets a job teaching in Longview, WA, but we continue living in PDX: It snows lots (well, for Portland) and there are several snow days in PDX but not a single one at all in Longview for 5 years, meaning he still has to drive the hour in to work, actually getting up extra early for the commute.
3) We move to Bellingham, WA, and he drives to Vancouver, Canada, for grad school: Not more than a whiff of snow all winter in Bellingham but blizzards in Vancouver and in Portland that year.
4) We move back to Portland and he works / schools in Portland: Minimal snow for those years in Portland, of course. He attends more grad school and has not a single snow day. He works as a principal for a year, still no snow days, none at all for that year.
5) We move to Freeport, IL, and he works in Freeport: 1st year, LOTS of snow. (But, no snow days as, well, this IS the Midwest and we don't close school for routine snow.) Ensuing 3 years, little snow for the area. No snow days. To be honest, 1 or 2 days called for cold but that doesn't apply to principals. He still gets to drive in. (I still think that 1st snowy year was a fluke.) We watch the winter storms all swing north and hit Monroe, WI, and points north.
6) We move to a blip on the map a bit north of Monroe, WI, last Feb and Charles continues working in Freeport: Today, had unexpected rather heavy snow in Freeport and (gasp! shock!) No snow at home. It all stopped as we hit the outskirts of Monroe.
Personally, I think he should hire himself out to traditionally snow inundated cities for the season to give them a break. For a fee. But then, I remember our mantra: We are never moving again. So bugger that. And I really don't think I want to live in Buffalo.
Finally, how many creatures does it take to put up lights outside of the house 'o Piffle (you know, the Holler place)? No. Seven. 2 small ones to run around squealing, 2 large ones to chase the squealing ones, 1 (with long nose and tail) to chase those chasing, 1 to chase the tail-Piffle, and 1 to put up the lights.
The lights look so lovely in the non-snow.
1) He works / schools in Portland: Minimal snow for years except during weekends and school holidays.
2) He gets a job teaching in Longview, WA, but we continue living in PDX: It snows lots (well, for Portland) and there are several snow days in PDX but not a single one at all in Longview for 5 years, meaning he still has to drive the hour in to work, actually getting up extra early for the commute.
3) We move to Bellingham, WA, and he drives to Vancouver, Canada, for grad school: Not more than a whiff of snow all winter in Bellingham but blizzards in Vancouver and in Portland that year.
4) We move back to Portland and he works / schools in Portland: Minimal snow for those years in Portland, of course. He attends more grad school and has not a single snow day. He works as a principal for a year, still no snow days, none at all for that year.
5) We move to Freeport, IL, and he works in Freeport: 1st year, LOTS of snow. (But, no snow days as, well, this IS the Midwest and we don't close school for routine snow.) Ensuing 3 years, little snow for the area. No snow days. To be honest, 1 or 2 days called for cold but that doesn't apply to principals. He still gets to drive in. (I still think that 1st snowy year was a fluke.) We watch the winter storms all swing north and hit Monroe, WI, and points north.
6) We move to a blip on the map a bit north of Monroe, WI, last Feb and Charles continues working in Freeport: Today, had unexpected rather heavy snow in Freeport and (gasp! shock!) No snow at home. It all stopped as we hit the outskirts of Monroe.
Personally, I think he should hire himself out to traditionally snow inundated cities for the season to give them a break. For a fee. But then, I remember our mantra: We are never moving again. So bugger that. And I really don't think I want to live in Buffalo.
Finally, how many creatures does it take to put up lights outside of the house 'o Piffle (you know, the Holler place)? No. Seven. 2 small ones to run around squealing, 2 large ones to chase the squealing ones, 1 (with long nose and tail) to chase those chasing, 1 to chase the tail-Piffle, and 1 to put up the lights.
The lights look so lovely in the non-snow.
Labels: The Life Rural
posted by Diana at 10:23 PM
1 Comments:
To really experience snow, one must spend some time in North Clackamas County, Oregon. I remember the great storms of the early '50s. Every New Year's Day was celebrated with a storm of great worthiness. I even remember having the flu and watching the flakes pile up from my death bed.
After a quarter century of teaching, the ice storms that closed school for a week were still remembered around the campfires of the faculty lounge.
But with the current El Nino, all that seems to be but a memory. As of Thanksgiving there are daffidils 6" tall around the neighborhood and the bushes are budding in the woods. Running in 35 degreesis still cold, especially in the rain.
My sympathies, Oh Piffly-one. Stout heart! The times they are a-changin'.
RF
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