I Miss You Not!

Blizzard Nemo, February, 2013

Remembering the days of extreme cold, windy, wet, dank and dreary, I miss you not! Toes that never seemed to warm, a drippy nose, gloves crusted with snow and a dose of the fluffy white stuff that usually made it's way down my boots no matter how hard I tried to keep it from finding an entrance. No power, an eighty foot driveway that needed to be plowed, steps and porches that must be cleared, I miss you not! 

Just a few reminders of why we moved to Florida! It was eighty two degrees here yesterday and it seems surreal to watch our northern brethren suffer through the massive inconvenience that Mother Nature has bestowed upon them. 

I do remember however, the first snow on the day of it's inception. It was clean, white and o so bright. No footprints other than an occasional animal or bird foraging for sustenance. Waiting for removal, it laid quietly and serenely blanketing the landscape. The air smelled clean and fresh, while freezing one's nostrils if a deep breath was taken. Trees burdened  with the heavy white stuff, fallen branches on the ground that could not survive it's weight and icicles glistening in the sun. Fond memories of it's visual beauty that I now want only to remember. The only white stuff I wish to step foot in these days, is sand. Call me a sissy, but a warm sissy I shall be! 

My daughter sent me this photo, via her cell phone of my son-in-law, snow blowing the more than two feet of snow that they received. Thought it very poetic and artful, that the gray and dank day, allowed the intense red only to stand out in this color photo. Guess, Mother Nature was having a Photoshop kind of day!!! 

Miss you, my sweet babies, off to the pool now! TaTa!!! 

Snow, from an Old Person's Perspective!

Baby it's Cold Outside!
Nothing screams cold more to the senses than snow! You can touch it, if you dare! The sheer sight of it makes one shiver! You can taste it as long as it's not yellow. It falls so silently you can almost hear it, unless accompanied by howling winds. You can even try to smell it, if your nostrils don't freeze up first.

My husband and I moved to Florida to escape the perils of this atmospheric phenomena. Upon visiting, up North, for the Holidays we never seem to escape at least one major encounter with our old friend, Snow. The Governor has even declared a State of Emergency, this time.

On the positive side, snow is beautiful to witness upon it's first fall. The landscape is covered in a blanket of the fluffy white stuff with occasional footprints of a stray animal looking for food or shelter.

Now, children, they always seem to know what to do when it snows. Building forts surrounded by snow families, molding snow-balls and hurling them as far as they can, sledding, snowboarding etc., etc., all the while, noses dripping, rosy red cheeks, snow encrusted mittens, shinny coat sleeves and barely moving in the armor of clothes it takes for them to venture outside. All this and only a cup of hot chocolate to make them warm again.

Oh! To be a child again......Nah, think we'll fly back to Florida, give true meaning to the phrase snow-birds, toast and be thankful to the sun gods!

Congelation nos arrache-pied! (French)

French, such a romantic language...
click on photo for larger view

I do believe that you can say almost anything in French to a non-bilingual person and it sounds romantic. I do not speak or write the language myself so I am one of those non-bilingual persons! I do have an extremely intelligent friend, however, called Google. Without this trusted old friend this blog would not be possible. I depend on Google for much of my daily activities. I have never asked for anything that Google could not deliver in some way, shape or form. You name it, I've Googled it!
So, I asked my friend Google to translate, "freezing our buns off" into this romantic language as to not offend any of my proper friends. Since most of our friends are not of the proper persuasion and speak in dialects un-beknownst to "Bostin Propar" I am sure I have offended no one.
I miss you all my Florida Friends where the sun shines daily, vitamin D is free and seasoned people are in pursuit of early bird specials and savvy waitresses who know enough to write separate checks without asking. 
Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!
Sitting in these chairs would give new meaning to the words "freezing one's buns off" I am sure!

This photo was taken in my daughter's front yard on a blustery December day just hours ago! Texture courtesy of: http://www.flickr.com/photos/42396059@N07/5231113668/in/photostream/