It's snowing!
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I'm looking out my back window at the snow piling up on the window sills and feeling very happy. I love the snow although not huge mounds of it daily as we had in Maine but one good snowfall every year and I feel that life is good and everything is right with the world. Perhaps it's left over from childhood, when the five of us would stand at the front windows hoping for more and more. In the morning we'd wake up two hours earlier than usual and put on the radio hoping to hear that our school was closed for the day. When it was, we'd spend the day in and out of the house, with my mother taking off our mittens, gloves, leggings and hanging them on the radiators to dry (lovely smell!). As soon as they were near dry we'd want to go out again. Does anyone out there remember the great snowfall of February 1947--I think it was 47.
An hour from now I have to leave for NYU for a test and I know as soon as I try to find a taxi, can't, and have to walk ten blocks on unshoveled streets, I'll wonder what it is I love so miuch. But right now, I'm so happy.
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Good luck on your trek! I have to leave any minute now for work -- it's at Second Ave and 17th, and I live at 6th and Ave C. Buses so horribly crowded on snowy days that I'll probably walk.
Love that smell of woolen mittens drying on the radiator!
Best of luck with your test !
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Good luck with yours, it's longer than mine, I think. Hospital called to ask if I were coming in, and I thought for a moment, cancel it, but decided to go anyway. I do hope I can find a taxi. Isn't New York wonderful when it snows more than an inch and everyone goes mad.
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Yes, I love the snow too. Although my husband is in Boston so he may not make it home today
The last time it snowed a significant amount near me (central NJ) was 2 years ago. At the time I had just had my lumpectomy and was waiting for chemo to start. As I was playing with my 3 girls in the snow this morning I thought, well, this snow is a million times better than the last time it snowed.
It would be nice to get one more big storm this year. My girls played for 2 1/2 hours outside and are now sitting in the kitchen having a snack with hot chocolate.
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We were expecting some bad weather here in the mtn area of North Carolina but the cold did not get down this far, we just have rain
. I was wanting to see some snow on the ground, though I do have crocus blooming in the yard and my daffodils are coming up good.Sheila
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I LOVE snow! Unfortunately I live on the Texas coast and we see very littly of the fluffy white stuff! It's probably a good thing we don't have snow because on the rare occasions when it has fallen it sets something off with the natives and they drive like fools! They don't know things like don't hit the breaks and turn in the direction of the skid!
Anyway, I digress! I grew up in Wisconsin, we lived in a more rural setting on Lake Kegonsa. It was the winter of 1957 ( I think). My parents had left to go Christmas shopping in Madison when the blizzard hit. Us four girls ages 12, 10, 8 and 6 were home alone. My parents took the baby (my brother, the king, the only boy) with them shopping. When the blizzard hit, my parents were on the highway and all cars came to an abrupt stop! The drivers and passengers were rescued and taken to Madison to relatives or homes that provided help in circumstances such as blizzards (can you imagine that happening now days?). Fortunately for my parents and baby bro, both sets of grandparents had homes in Madison.
Our telephone lines went down but we did have electricity, thank God! We were on our own for three days and oh the mischief we created! My mother had a floor lamp that we broke. Of course we told her the parakeet got out of its cage and landed on the shade and somehow toppled the lamp! I never told the truth about that until I was in my fourties!
My older sister was in charge and she was a real BITCH! The rest of us really didn't like her much because she was so bossy! She scared the pure living crap out of us with stories about Ed Gein who had just been arrested for the serial killings. We were sure he was waiting just outside the front door and was coming to get us as soon as the snow banks receded! Every little noise we heard sent us into hysterics!
Just before my parents came home, my uncle a milkman for Bordens was able to make it to our home, he drove his milk truck out to the country to make sure we were OK and ALIVE! We were never so happy to hear that knock on the door and we got CHOCOLATE MILK!
Ahhhhhhhh...childhood memories!
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wow, Paulette -- I grew up in Wisconsin!
And I was born in Galveston, TX in 1952 -- when my father finished school there in 1954, we all moved "back" to Wisconsin where my Mom & Dad were born and raised (Mom on farms in Dane and Sauk Counties, Dad in Madison). We were living in Milwaukee in December 1957 and drove to Grandma's in rural Dane County for Xmas -- got in a scary car accident on way home to Milwaukee! Everyone was okay, because it was like a collision at 15 miles an hour in the mostly stuck traffic -- but we sat there on the highway for hours. There were 5 of us kids -- me 5, brother 3, brother 18 months, and twin sisters 5 months old!!! Of course, there were no such things as seat belts or car seats... One of the twins had flown upward and bumped her head on the ceiling with that collision. Thank God she was okay. A miracle really.
Jeez -- you really took me down childhood memory lane!
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If we are doing snow memories, I grew up in rural Ohio. It was probably about 1970 and we had about 2 ft of snow and we were not able to get down the lane, much less to the store. after 3 or 4 days my dad took off in the beetle to try to make it into town to get supplies. He made it to town but on his way back home, he got stuck in a snow drift about a mile from the house. He packed up the necessary groceries in 2 bags and started walking through the drifts. When he made it to the house he was frozen through. I remember getting blankets off the bed to wrap him in to warm him up. I think we were out of school 2 or 3 weeks because of that storm.
Sheila
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Ann...small world isn't it? I wouldn't trade my childhood in Wisconsin for anything! Sometimes I think about what a simple uncomplicated lifestyle it was and long to go back but then can we ever really recreate something like that?
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Love all your snow stories but particularly Paulette's four sisters alone for three days, although Sheila's three weeks of snow days comes darn close. My older sister was bossy too, but fun as well. And at night when we were supposed to be sleeping she'd tell us stories. I can't imagine what we would have done to the house if my mother and father were gone for three days. We had bunk beds and we use to jump from the top of one to the top of the other, and from the top of the bed to the dresser; my brother dared us to tightrobe walk on a broom--can't remember if I did or not. My cousin, and an only child, with her own room and lots more stuff than we had, came to visit for a week and thought we had the greatest fun. She was very envious of the bed jumping although she refused to try. We made her promise never to tell.
Anyway, Ann, I'm back from the test. The snow has turned to rain and it's just ugly slush and puddles on the sidewalks and in the gutters, but the buses aren't too crowded, and I found a taxi immediately--not easy in New York. Test went well; it was a pulmonary stress test, like a cardiac stress test, but you look like Dr, Lecter (similar headpiece) on a treadmill. I did pretty well and they think that my shortness of breath is from deconditioning. Doctor told me to walk up and down the floors of stairs in my building for an hour every day. But in New York I might get arrested as a prowler, but I will try. If I get arrested, I can prove my intent with this post.
Have a great day all!
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Anne,
Thanks for stirring up all those old memories, smells! I was not around for 1947 storm. I live in Ohio, and I remember the big storm of 1978..I think 78 or 77, sometime during my h.s years.(I too Sheila remember the one we had in the early 70's). For that one...my mom made huge pots of chilli, anticipating that we may be taking in strangers that were stranded on the closed highways....but it didn't happen. I remember as a young girl, being dissapointed...I wanted them to come! We did the same as you, hoping and waiting to see if school would be called off, only to spend as long as we could possibly stand out in the snow sledding, building snow forts or snowmen! Lovely comforting memories!
Right now...I am very tired of all the snow here. I still love to watch it fall, but I am ready for some warmer weather right about now.
xoxo
Lisa
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Lisa, the storm you are thinking of was in Jan or Feb of 78. We had moved to NC in 75, but we still have family in OH. That winter, my aunt and uncle were in the process of moving their family to NC also. He had already moved to work at a doctor's office as a PA, my aunt was staying in OH to complete her teaching contract. It was during the digging out that she hurt her hip and found out that she had cancer of an unknown source. She had spots that showed up in several locations including her hip. My mom and uncle drove north to pack her and their sons up quickly and bring them to NC for her treatments. We later found out that she had ovarian cancer that was not detected by the scans of that time. All they could do was treat the mets.
Sheila
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anneshirley,
well, I'm glad the snow lasted through my walk to work, and I have not yet been out in the slush -- but I myself will have to get to NYU Pharmacy on 30th and First sometime this afternoon!
glad your test went okay -- but sounds like you had already been through one stress test just getting there!
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Paulette,
I forgot to mention but it made me laugh when you mentioned how Texans drive in the snow. We lived in Spain in the mid-80's. The area we lived in, Catalunya, had its first real snowfall in 20 years. We had a tiny old Fiat and my husband always felt rather intimidated by some of the drivers there with their German fast cars. He was so happy that day; he came home to tell me how awful the Spanish drivers were, slamming on their brakes and spinning every which way (fortunately no one was hurt). He's an excellent driver, particularly in snow, and he was delighted with himself. Maybe I should put this on the husband's thread!
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AnnNYC...talking about memories really sent me backward in time! I was an art major in high school and was accepted at an art college in Madison after graduation. My dream was to go to NYC and get into commercial art and advertising! For some unknown reason instead of showing up for college that fall, I went hitchhiking around the country with friends and ended up in Biloxi, MS. where I sang with a rock and roll band! (It was the 60's!) That's where I met my husband who was on military leave from Viet Nam. Thirty days later I left for Germany and we got married in Switzerland! Much later I did get to do advertising when I became the marketing director for a multi-family real estate firm in Houston, TX.! I often wonder what direction my life would have taken had I showed up for college in the fall of 1967!
Anneshirley...when we were living in Germany the first time before we got married and lived on base we had an apartment on the German economy. We had a 1967 canary yellow Ford Mustang. The Germans would literally approach us on the street and offer to buy the car from us for an exorbitant price! Germans love their cars! I was floored at the way they drove on the autobahns, no speed limits, go as fast as your car can take you and if someone comes up behind you honking, get out of their way!
The second time we lived in Germany we had a Fiat! Of course by then we had two kids so a slower car was probably a good thing! By that time we were also part of the establishment! No more wild dreams!
When you were talking about the bed jumping it reminded me of the time we were spending the weekend with our grandparents in Madison. The second floor of their house was set up originally as quarters for the hired help. There was a stair case off the kitchen. We were sleeping (well we were supposed to be sleeping) up there but in actuality we were turning summersaults across the floor and my youngest sister went through the opening in the banister and landed at the bottom of the stairs with a loud thump against the kitchen door! When my grandfather came to the door to see what the noise was my sister rolled out a bloody mess! She was rushed to the hospital and the rest of us were punished for leading her on to do such a thing! She survived OK but to this day we tease her about not being right in the head because of that episode!
This has turned into a memory lane day! Thank you, all of you, it's quite refreshing!
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Andwhat happened to the oldest sister (and the "darling" boy)? Did you ever get close or did she stay bossy? I love family stories.
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The oldest sister Nancy is still bossy! When our parents died, she decided she was now the "matriarch" of the family! None of us take her seriously! I am closest to the second oldest sister, Vickie. I adore her! She is an artist, lives in Madison Heights, VA. out in the country at the foot of the James River. She was and is a true "hippie", she was married on a mountain top in a granny dress and barefooted, her husband wore a Neru shirt! I always thought and think she is just the coolest! She has done designs for Tiffany, stained glass and her designs are awesome. She and a friend of hers were comissioned to do some churches in the midwest as well.
Two years before my BC diagnosis, she was diagnosed with BC. (the oldest was also). But Vickie was working part time for the post office at the time and didn't have insurance so that year for Christmas I organized and paid for doctors appointments for her for a mammo and a pap, it was her Christmas present. Well when she went for the mammo her BC was found. She called me and we both cried but were happy as well that it was found. She said at the time that she was going to put off the pap because she didn't want anymore bad news. Well we talked about it and she agreed to go and lo and behold she had pre-cancerous cells in her cervix as well. Her doctor joked with her and said "as long as your sister doesn't set up anymore health tests for you, you will probably be OK!" I think that is why she and I are so close. Then two years later I got my diagnosis and we really became closer. This last Christmas the five of us were together for the first time in 40 years and it was at my house. It was the BEST Christmas ever and we didn't even exchange gifts, we just all wanted to be together!
The youngest sister, Jody actually lives three blocks from me and my brother, the king, lives in Houston. We are all quite close but not as close as Vickie and me!
My brother is in computers and married into a family that runs a huge computer conglomerate in Houston. He is really cool and I guess after Vickie, Peter is my next favorite although because we are so competitive it took us years to admit this! At Christmas he actually admitted he was in awe of me because of all the kids he thought I was the strongest. It's funny, I never knew that, I always wondered why he was in competition with a girl! LOL! Oh the things we learn!
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Paulette, that's some story, about the three of you having BC. But it's wonderful that you insisted your sister get a mammo and pap. For sure, you saved her life. I assume she's fine and your older sister is fine too. Sure hope so.
Here's an interesting story. My nephew had kidney failure quite young. He is one of six siblings and his first kidney came from one of his brothers; however, after ten years that failed, and everyone in the family got tested but the best match was his wife--not even a distant relative. So she gave him one of her kidneys, and at the time they had six children. He's still doing well although there are moments when it looks touch and go; it's about fifteen years now with his wife's kidney.
How did the three of you wind up in Texas? Sorry if I'm being nosy but it's so interesting.
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Cancer runs rampant in my family both parents died from cancer, my father pancreatic and my mother cervical. My grandfather on my mother's side actually had breast cancer and his breast was removed. I remember when we were growing up, he would say don't pinch, it causes cancer. He thought he got cancer from his breast being pinched. I didn't even know what cancer was when he would tell us that.
We are all doing well. We all had the same type of estrogen positive cancer. The matriarch had DCIS and Vickie and I had IDC with tumors and some positive nodes. We are respectively 12, 7 and almost 5 years out from diagnosis.
The matriarch moved to Houston first, although I was actually in Texas before her as we were stationed here while in the military. I loved Texas from the moment I arrived and had always planned on living here when we retired from the military. Jody moved here and went to work for the matriarch and Peter came later. Now most of our kids and grandkids are here and so we actually have some natives in the family!
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I remember living in Bangor, ME in the early 1970's. The snow would drift up against the garage, so to get to school we would climb up a drift, walk across the garage roof and jump into the drift behind the garage and then walk a couple of miles to school. The good ole days! My mom was an RN at Eastern Maine Medical Center, and she was snowed out of the house on Christmas eve....the snow had drifted in front of the door and she got off her shift at 11pm....dad was sound asleep....the neighbor had to shovel a path for her!
Now in Utah (greatest snow on earth, y'all!) it's fluffy and not prone to drifting. Yeah, baby!
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Hi Paulette, I had to laugh at your story about the snowstorm in Spain. We had a similar one in London years ago. My sister and I were at a school in Cavendish Square when there was a light dusting of snow. Traffic was a mess, no one knew how to drive, etc. We organized a snowball fight at school and the English girls didn't know how to make snowballs. It was hilarious.
Catherine
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