It's Cold Outside

Mississippi. Mostly mild, wet, and muddy in winter, but also chilly, cold, and sometimes snowy. We feasted on ice cycles from tin or asphalt rooftops; We screamed and yelled as we fought each other with snowballs; With patience and craftsman-like precision, we made snowmen as mothers watched with smiles, making us the best tasting ice cream. Late nights and early mornings, we waited to hear from the newscast. “The roads are too bad, and for the sake of safety, no school today”. Such words over the radio or television are the only ones that mattered. But it was not all fun and games in the Northern Mississippi Dixie land. Rain, snow, sleet, or sunshine, there were always outdoor chores to do. There was wood to cut and to bring in with the coals to keep us warm. There were hungry pigs, chickens, a cow, and sometimes goats to feed. Chicago. One day out near the O’Hare International Airport, my feet nearly froze. That was when I was driving a VW Bus that was fun to drive until it got cold. Let the truth be told, Chicago is not just a Windy city by the lake; it’s icy cold. I had my Chicago share of winters in the ‘70’s. In Chicago, with hardened and freezing bones, on short days or long ones, life always goes on. It was so cold that I could hardly walk. It was so cold that I could barely talk. It was so cold, yet nothing seemed to halt. It was so cold that my whole body would shake, and my ears ached in pain as if they would break. If New York City never sleeps, Chicago never stops. In the dead of winter, people on State Street continues to shop. Mayor Daily’s city kept the streets clear, and the buses kept moving. California. This year our heating system was first used on Saturday evening, November 7. It seemed that summer forgot to cool down and depart, or even stall; but ran head-on into fall. My trees are still very green, and the leaves are slowly falling because Winter is calling. It’s Sunny California in the Sacramento Region, and Winter is just around the corner. For a few years now, the rainy winter season has produced much heat, but little rain. Our hope is that this winter will be different for a change; perhaps cold and wet. 11102015PS