What's that white stuff?

I've been living in paradise for almost 10 years now and have fully adapted to the temperatures here, and let me tell you - I don't miss snow ONE BIT.

Picture taken January 10. 2012

I remember it's cold, always "shlushy", you get white salt marks on your shoes, pants, cars....basically a mess. I also remember my hands would swell and really hurt in the cold, yes....even with gloves. I remember getting shocked when walking across a carpeted room. I remember waking up with a dry nose and mouth, constantly using chapstick. I remember having to shovel the driveway and the road leading to the driveway because the city didn't go down our street when it snowed. I remember spinning out a couple of times with the car - lucky for me nothing serious ever happened.

I also remember that dreadful day, November 18th, that it snowed so hard that we go stuck, halfway between K-town and Pirmasens, the battery in the car dying, hitching a ride with a stranger, not making it up the hill to Pirmasens because it was totally iced and cars were rolling down backwards, switching to the train then walking some 8 or 9 miles from the train station home because traffic in town totally shut down, twisting my knees, soaking wet, walking in pain, finally getting home and being greeting with the loving words "Where the hell have you been?"....yeah...good times....

Although I am not looking forward to winter and snow...I do remember some of the good things like sledding, tobogganing, rubber tubing, snowed in school days off, snow angels, building snowmen, snowball fights and snow forts. Icicles glistening in the sun and the beauty and uniqueness of every single snowflake. How quiet and peaceful everything is when the snow falls.  I guess I will have to hold on to those thoughts and memories to get me thru the winters that lay ahead of us.

ME! This photo is from the 60's or so...

Aloha Hui Hou!