The Longest Winter

Posted by Will on February 25, 2010

I have been challenged to write a litte ditty that has a positive spin.

Try to write something that is not frowning with dissent, grumbling and grousing per the usual.

Well, that’s not exactly what was said but more or less, that was the point. When you feel somewhat strongly about something, I feel like it is our natural compulsion to go negative. If anything, it helps to drive whatever point you are touting home (or at least, that’s what the politicos do, right?).

As a preface, I have always envisioned living in great northern/midwestern cities like New York, Chicago, and Seattle. I have a very small capacity for thinking forward but I think this is something I have always itched for. Maybe, more or less, I was looking to live in a burgeoning metropolis. Well, heck, with D.C., we did get a mouthful of that experience (we’re looking to fill our plates with some more District nourishment this summer — second helpings).

The first two winters in D.C., in all honesty, were nothing (the years ’07/’08 and ’08/’09). We had the occasional snow, never enough to cancel our daily posts, but enough to satiate any kid coming from Pint-Size, Georgia who had ever only really experienced an inch here and there (skiing trips and Colorado treks aside). Not to mention, a full-scale winter in Georgia means you can’t traipse around outside in your bare feet on New Year’s Day.

In case you didn’t hear, we have had a flake or two fall the past few months. If you haven’t heard, well, you can read our somewhat chronicled impressions in the archives.

I think we are close to getting a warm snap in the coming month (I mean, we are pushing low 40s this week). Not to mention, I even saw a robin the other day — Although, I have been seeing the little red-breasts in our yard since early December. After taking a few steps back, I can now candidly write a little bit of my impressions of what happens when you move a panda back to China.

Most people, including popular and local media outlets have referred to the past snow event as “Snowpocalypse“. I like to think of it as, a blog commenter put it, “Tai Shan’s Last Dump“. Or maybe “Tai Shan’s Revenge”, perhaps.

So, what follows this moderate prologue are some random subtopical winter impressions (the longest winter, or at least the longest feeling of winter I can recall).

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Shoveling
I have never had to shovel snow in my life. Ever. I probably have gone six rounds with the snow and shovel and let me tell you friends, it’s a forthright task. Meaning, even though it would take me around an hour to unearth our car, parking spot, walkway, and porch, I felt a sense of a job well done every time I finished. I keep coming up with the phrase “good, honest work” although that does not really sound applicable (I think it’s because I had this song stuck in my head every time I went out).. Maybe it is, maybe it isn’t. Maybe it was from the effects of slowly becoming one with the couch resulting in the need for movement and activity that rendered the chore euphoric. Whatever the case, shoveling, even with an improper tool (we didn’t have a bona fide snow shovel) wasn’t that bad.

The Listserv
When we were in the butt of Shaw, I was on the Mount Vernon Square, Ward 2, MPD Third District listservs. Now that we’re in Greenbelt (for the time being), it made sense to get on board with theirs. I mean, listservs are a wealth of information and really tighten that community feeling (somewhat). I have never come across such a collection of whining, moaning, self-righteous people. I hardly read the listserv these days but this past blizzard provided for some humorous reading fodder.

Cabin Fever
It’s all fun and games until it becomes a reality. Especially when there is no electricity for a good 12 hours.

Running
While not entirely impossible, I realize a little warmer weather does wonders for my ability to get more oxygen in my lungs. It doesn’t help that I’m trying to train for my longest race to date (The Cherry Blossom 10 Miler). When I have been running, I’m less concerned with the icy ground underfoot and nonexistent sidewalk and more with the wind, heavy air, and the crazies on the road (whose space I’m invading). Good thing I kept that heinous lime green kickball t-shirt.

Driving
Speaking of those crazies on the road … First, let me point out, more or less admit, I am an incensed driver. I even thought about starting a new blog chronicling the chowderheaded cretins I come across … every day. It just seems that the ineptitude on the road gets cranked up a few hundred notches when there’s inclement weather (you also see the way too circumspect operator who is just as dangerous). In a city that doesn’t have too many four-wheel drive vehicles (much less trucks for that matter) and tire chains, I think we are all a little ill-equipped to be on the roads. Take it from a family who stupidly inched their way to the local Papa John’s Superbowl Sunday. Oh wait, that was us.

The biting weather has really taken its toll on our car, not just our mental capacity. Our car is a family relic. It’s 10 years old and recently eclipsed the 100,000 mile mark. It was raised by our aunt, guided in its middle years by brother David, and now, it is us who are steering it through the nursing home halls (okay, it’s not that grizzled). I have had to learn the hard way (namely, towing the car to the wrong service station) that sometimes our car needs a little gas to get it going when you turn it over (it tends to drop fuel). Not to mention, thanks to more than frigid conditions, we suffered the need to replace the front windshield (the second window that has needed to be replaced since our tenure of ownership began). Who can I send the bill to for all of this?

Baseboard Heaters
For housing built as a part of the New Deal, well, they don’t quite get the job done.

A Newly Found Appreciation
I used to razz Brittany for having an obvious disdain for the winter season. Well, I can now say I have a greater esteem for all seasons that don’t rhyme with “mentor”. Spring and its green finery can not get here soon enough. Fall is still my favorite but I think Summer just dug its way out of last place.

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