I'll Take That Snow My Way, Please

We have a fire blazing in our fireplace for the first time. We got our tree today and it smells lovely in our living room. What's missing? Snow.

Last time I checked, I had a Syracuse address. I hear Washington, DC got snow today. It was snowing in Pittsburg for the UC game (Yay, Bearcats! That was for Jeff who almost had a heart attack during the game...) My Michigan friends report snow. Supposedly even Texas got snow.

Of course, I consider "snow" as white covering all visible surfaces and sticking around. When we lived in Cincinnati it was always weird to hurry up and run outside to play in the snow before it melted. So "snow" southern places could mean anything. But I trust my Michigan friends - when they say "snow" they use the same definition I do. 3 out of 4 years in Michigan, there was snow when we cut down our tree.

I also like my snow to come on Thanksgiving, be present for Christmas of course, be mostly around for January and February, and GONE in March. Last year the weather was perfectly obliging, here in Syracuse as well. If I remember correctly, the year before was one of those dumb ones that was 70 on Christmas day and we were getting snow all through March. I don't want another one of those. Our snow stakes are in place on the sides of the driveway in expectation. We hired someone for those weeks the natives assure us will come when we have several inches a day. I have a sneaking suspicion I will regret this longing for snow. The thing is, I long for snow in DECEMBER not MARCH.

Isn't that the way it is? I want my life to go exactly as I like it. If not, I want to buy a remedy or muscle one out. But you can't do that with weather. It's one of the last frontiers we humans haven't conquered. And that's probably a good thing.

Life is full of good things like beautiful fires in your fireplace, a sweet family to hang out with, and a last minute invitation to grab some pizza with another family (which is like a needed blood transfusion to new kids like us). Snow or no snow, I'm feeling that Christmas spirit!