I am a southerner at heart. Maybe, even a beach bum. Though we have spent most of our lives in northwestern Missouri, central Illinois, and especially northeastern Illinois, near Lake Michigan on the Wisconsin state line, we love the south and have visited many times. Now we live here. Don’t worry we are not part of the wave of marauding tribes from the north trying to re-make Tennessee in the image of our former locale of low temps, high taxes, and wonky ways.
What’s not to like about the south? This is our kind of food. These are our kind of people, unhurried and refreshingly congenial. We even find the accent charming. We re-located here in May and were developing a strong bond, until January. Then our new friend turned on us with the menacing ways of something called January.
We were lavishing in the relatively mild weather of November and December, but come January, we felt betrayed. We were accepting of the cold nights and days warming up into the forties. But January went a step too far when we saw some teens and single digits, coupled with four or five inches of snow that overstayed its welcome. It was uninvited and unwanted, reminding us too much of what we moved from.
Winter and I have a history. We have a deep-seated disdain for each other. It seems like winter tries to get on my nerves; and it succeeds. I used to think SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) was something made up by psychiatrists for wimps, until I became aware of how winter tried to bring me down.
Its short days make me feel unproductive. Its uncomfortable nature causes me to feel like I am under house arrest. Its limiting factors make me feel bored and I want to eat southern comfort food and snacks, loading up on carbs.
I hope for my sake (and everyone’s sake) this winter has been unusual because you are not prepared for it. Back in northeastern Illinois, there was an unofficial neighborhood contest to see who could snow blow their driveway first. You would hear the chorus of gas engines before dawn. The snowplows were out at first flake dumping massive quantities of salt on every highway and street. It took a major blizzard to affect people’s lives and schedules. I am talking feet of snow and huge drifts. Even then the inconvenience was short-lived.
Here, in my neighborhood, we saw hardly a ripple in the snow for a couple of days. Traveling on any road other than a couple of highways was treacherous, so everyone just stayed home. I hate that feeling. Up north people get out just to defy the snow.
My backup plan is Florida. Our spring vacation to a little-known barrier island on the gulf coast of southwestern Florida is my mental happy place. It will be a few days of sun, sand, and surf with lots of walks on the beach.
When we return home, it will be hot and humid here. That will give us something new to complain about.
