Life in the Highlands

Here in Highland (elevation 5000 feet), it’s been snowing. And snowing. And snowing.

But we are used to the snow. And we are brave. Because we do not let the snow keep us inside. As my 17 year old says, “If you’re not willing to drive in the snow, you shouldn’t live here.” Which is just a variation on other things I’ve heard like: “If you don’t drive in the snow, you won’t be able to leave the house all winter.” And, “Why would you want to move to Florida?”

The snowplows keep the roads clean enough that, most of the time, it is safe to drive. There’s only one place around here that is dangerous. So dangerous that even the most lionhearted of drivers tremble at the thought of navigating it.

So dangerous that we have gotten stuck there at least 4 or 5 times (2 of them this winter).

Where is this dangerous place?

Our driveway.

And yes, we have a snowblower.

And yes, we use it.

Unless it’s out of gas because we have had to use it so much. And we can’t get out of our driveway to go get more gas unless we snowblow first.

Or, unless the snowplows come through and build up such a ginormous mound of snow in front of our driveway that no poor snowblower is going to be able to clear it out of the way.

So, our driveway, it is dangerous.

But not as dangerous as staying up until 2 in the morning on the eve of Christmas day to watch the movie “The Day After Tomorrow.”

On Christmas night my son came home from taking care of the neighbors’ horses. The neighbors are on vacation someplace warm. Where it is not snowing. Anyway, he said the blizzard outside was so bad it reminded him of  the movie “The Day After Tomorrow.” It’s about how everyone almost freezes to death when the earth enters another ice age. They save themselves by burning books in the library.

Bibliophiles should not watch it. Nor should people who are sensitive to the cold.

But I watched it, anyway.

Now, you’d think the danger would be that after watching that movie, I would have stayed awake all night worrying that the world was going to end. Or, that the world was going to end and I wouldn’t have any good books left to read. Instead, the movie gave me hypothermia.

After watching that movie, I was so cold that my coldness projected itself into the past and gave my daughter the idea to buy me a heating blanket for Christmas.

So cold that my coldness projected itself into the past and gave my mother in law the idea to buy me another blanket for my bed for Christmas.

So cold that the morning after Christmas my husband reminded me that we had two more blankets stored under our bed.

Which reminds me, we have two more blankets stored under our bed.

I probably wouldn’t need them in Florida. I’m so moving.

If only I could get out of the driveway.

______________________________________________________________

Copyright by Life in the Highlands. All rights reserved.

Get more good stuff. Subscribe by Email or Feed Reader.

______________________________________________________________

Related Posts:

• Just Picking Nits
• Just Wondering