Good Morning Nanook,
Well we mountain folk have just experienced our second significant snow storm since October 1st. This time we had nearly a foot of it! Traffic of course was snarled and ugly with at least 50 vehicles crashed and burned before I got to work. Every year these “unnecessary” collisions are caused mostly by nitwits who think their SUV is invincible or morons from California driving 5 mph forcing everyone to make radical moves to avoid plowing them from behind! But it was good to feel the biting cold numbing my face and hands while scraping snow and ice from my car. Ah winter has at last arrived!
There’s nothing more exciting than a defrost system capable of only clearing a third of your windshield. God I love the sound of metal on glass from defective wipers streaking the portion that’s clear. Changing lanes is more or less a crap shoot as my side mirrors are completely frozen covered in ice. I use the ‘fair-warning’ technique leaving my blinker on 30 to 40 seconds prior to a very slow and gradual shift in position. While preferred, this technique seldom works when having to dodge the morons from California….; that becomes pure luck.
There’s no comparison to the excitement of crossing the parking lot and climb the icy steps leading to the front entry. Typically I arrive well before the crew hired to plow and de-ice things so sliding the last 10 steps grabbing the Spruce in hopes of stabilizing my probable fall, is rewarded by 14 lbs of fresh snow dropped on my head and down my shirt! That’s when you know you’re alive!
As you might have guessed, winter is my favorite time of year! Dead batteries, defective ice scrapers, wet shoes, bald tires, high centered, snow shoveling, steaming piles of dog shit, hardened nipples, runny nose, and falling icicles are just a few of winter’s magical distinctions.
Sadly winter is also a reminder that the Christmas season is at hand. This forum has documented my fear of these holidays particularly since my divorce, but that’s a topic to be discussed later.
Meanwhile, I must end it here to give myself enough time to chain up and make it to the bar.
Zuki




