FROLICING IN THE SNOW

Finally! We have a real snow on the ground, not just a little dusting here and there. Of course, the genius is not at all happy about it because it meant he had to cancel the big math contest he has been working hard on for months. But I think most everyone else in Nashville is glad to see it.

Snow in this city is an interesting phenomenon. First come the warnings that we may have some. Immediately, the whole city goes into action and everyone (especially little old ladies) scrambles to the grocery, clearing the shelves of everything except pickles, Chinese horse radish, and maybe a few cleaning products. And that’s just the beginning.

Next, come the school closings. While the sun is still shining, and not a flake has appeared on the scene, every educational system and every private school (except the genius’s) begin to announce that they will not be open the next day. The parents all have to make plans for child care, etc. and then the next day --- nothing! Not a sign of the white stuff. This happens several times a year.

When we do have a nice winter storm like we have today, all hell breaks loose on the roads. How many times I have heard from Yankees (remember, that’s anyone not from the South) say, “People in Nashville don’t know how to drive in the snow!” And it’s true. The drivers try to cre-e-ep up snow covered hills (there are lots of hills in this town), and of course, by driving so slowly and carefully, don’t make it up. Down they come to try again -- or worse, they end up in the ditch.

For ten years I had a 4W drive Isuzu Rodeo that would take me anywhere, but the trick was to avoid all the main roads because that’s where the pile-ups were. I loved that car; I even did doughnuts in a parking lot one time with it.

To be fair to the drivers, though, it is important to mention that the snows here are often very wet and heavy. Today’s is like that. The stuff piles up on the trees and bushes like white icing and is beautiful. But it is really harder to drive in than the dry stuff that just blows off the road.

So I plan to take the dogs out in a little bit to really romp and play in it. They already showed signs of that when I first took them out this morning, but I wouldn’t let them stay out. I’m going to wait until it stops coming down.

I’ll report tomorrow on how they do.