Archive for March 20th, 2008

 Ok, nicht so einfach ein Foto hochzuladen …. muss mir das noch mal in der Hilfe section nachlesen … aber zumindest mal ein Anfang …

After pontificating about the State of PermaWinter in Vermont just now, I remembered a funny email I received from one of my co-workers a while back. I am usually not into those chain mail, everybody laugh haha jokes, but this one, I admit, almost made me pee my pants …

Even though I am not a ‘TRUE’ Vermonter (that is a WHOLE other blog …..) I could check off almost every single one of the below qualifying marks :-> 

If your local Dairy Queen is closed from September through May, you live in Vermont . Check

If someone in a Home Depot store offers you assistance and they don’t work there, you live in Vermont . Check

If you’ve worn shorts and a parka at the same time, you live in Vermont . … not yet

If you’ve had a lengthy telephone conversation with someone who dialed a wrong number, you live in Vermont . … since my cell phone number is only one digit off the local crafts council number, this one is a Check, Check, Check

If you measure distance in hours, you live in Vermont . Check

If you know several people who have hit a deer more than once, you live in Vermont. Alright, have to pass on that one …

If you have switched from “heat” to “A/C” in the same day and back again, you live in Vermont . Check

If you can drive 75 mph through 2 feet of snow during a raging blizzard without flinching, you live in Vermont . Check (one of the things I DEFINITELY learned by living here ….)

If you install security lights on your house and garage, but leave both unlocked, you live in Vermont . Check (note: I also leave my car unlocked with the keys in it …. it’s in the garage though, and that has security lights …. )

If you carry jumpers in your car and you know how to use them, you live in Vermont . Check

If you design your kid’s Halloween costume to fit over a snowsuit, you live in Vermont . Check … wait, that is not how it works in the rest of the country?????

If the speed limit on the highway is 55 mph — you’re going 80 and everybody is passing you, you live in Vermont . Check … though most of the people passing have Quebec license plates

If driving is better in the winter because the potholes are filled with snow, you live in Vermont . Check … sadly, that applies most certainly to my own driveway …

If you know all 4 seasons: almost winter, winter, mud season and road construction season, you live in Vermont . Check …ah. mud season, as sure a sign of spring coming as the cherry blossoms in DC ….

If you have more miles on your snow blower than your car, you live in Vermont . Sort of check … we ditched the snow blower and went with a full blown dedicated plow vehicle … in addition to the bobcat …

If you find 10 degrees “a little chilly”, you live in Vermont . 10 degrees a little chilly, please, that is reason to leave the house without a coat ….

If you actually understand these jokes, you must live in Vermont .. Yikes …..

First day of spring! Ah! Time to pack away the winter gear, start thinking about gardening, enjoy the warmer weather …. PSYCH! Not in Vermont my friends. In Vermont, we are under a Winter Storm Warning with snow accumulation of 4 to 8 inches expected by tomorrow.

I admit, this is nothing unusual for Vermont. We have had snow as late as late April. In fact, the year that my oldest son Noah was born on April 14th, we had almost three feet of snow in the backyard when I went into the hospital. Mind you, while there we had a major melt and three days later most of it was gone. But still. Nothing unusual, nothing new, nothing changed.

What makes me go “Huh???” though is the article in our local newspaper this morning headlined “Earlier spring a sure sign of global warming, studies say.” Don’t get me wrong, I am not debating the facts or message of the article. I strongly believe that global warming is a serious issue and agree that we all need to rethink how we treat Mother Earth or our kids and grandkids will pay the price. I am just thinking that the timing on this article is a wee bit off …. considering the local market and weather forecast.

The article talks about the cherry blossoms in DC primed to bloom, butterflies showing up in CA, seasonal allergies already on the rise in PA. Yet, here in Vermont, we had one of the snowiest winters on record. SO, maybe, just maybe, the local newspaper editor wants to rethink the timing of the article. Because if other people react the way I did when reading the headline, with a resounding “yeah, right”, it might not have the desired impact.

On a sidenote, I did see the first Robin of the year land in the crabapple bush in front of my office window early last week. Now THAT is early. He seemed a bit forlorn and the pair of cardinals, who live in that bush all winter long looked at him with what even in the bird world must be known as the ‘Dude, what are you smoking??’ look. It was too funny.

Anyways, gotta go. Gotta tell my plow contractor to get his %$#& in gear so my old folks (I manage several senior living facilities) can get out of the house safely.

Cheerio.