Winter Wonderland in Galion [Exclusive]

It may be a winter wonderland for the folks here. But for me, I’m a poor fish out of water and what is happening is far from any wonderland. The scene to some may look fascinating. I must admit that before personal experience it is fascinating. But after you realize that the real deal is a wind chill of twenty degrees below zero then you rethink the whole situation.

Well the folks back home in Alabama always say we should look at the good side of everything. So let me think. The dog doesn’t like the snow because it is deeper than his height. The boys don’t like to shovel the snow. Yes, school is canceled even in Ohio for this mess, but they may be losing their spring vacation. I’m still thinking. Oh yes, the bugs will be killed. But wait. We live in Ohio. These folks don’t know bugs like folks in Alabama know bugs. The summers are sort of cool with exception to about a week. Bug life is just not that big of a concern with exception to some mosquitoes.

I am happy to say all the folks who invested in those expensive snow plows are getting to make use of their fancy equipment. Everywhere I go there is a truck that would make an Alabama boy proud with two exceptions. The first exception is the big snowplow on the front. Get a tractor! And the second exception is all the rust from the salt. What we have here is a shell with an engine.

Last year I swore I would purchase a snow blower. Isn’t that what a good Northerner would do? And as sure as I buy the snow blower my company would relocate me back South. I would have a snow blower waiting for the storm of the century. And with global warming that may be a millennium. The engine would lock up and I would be the joke of the town. Last time I moved back South I used the snow shovel to clean the dog pen. It did work well. But I don’t think a snow blower would be a good idea for that job.

The boys are my human snow plows. But I do have one problem. They are still learning. The younger is hard to crank and the older one takes too much fuel. I shouldn’t say that because with enough coaxing the driveway got plowed. As they finished up the last of the driveway I watched the neighbor trying to persuade his fancy but small snow blower to move ahead. It got the job done, but it was groaning.

One of my computer systems has a countdown until Spring. Well, that just means the worst is over. Up here we can have snow well into Spring. But, for an Alabama boy it means hope. I will then be looking forward for the weekend on which Summer will occur. That weekend is one to savor for it is the last remnant of staying fit for my return home. My last venture into the North was a period of time living in Illinois. I stayed 56 months for that round. I never expected a return home until retirement this round, but my company has said it may be possible. I have been here 41 months.

Don’t get me wrong. The folks here are wonderful and I really enjoy all the people at work. All over this country I find wonderful people who are just adapted to a little difference in climate or culture. (California is definitely a culture adaptation.) Otherwise we are all on the same boat. The folks here have their own story to share. I am blessed for my life has been a living vacation meeting people from all over the country and the world. If only we could get just a little bit more warmth. Oh well. I guess we offset the heating bill with the lack of any cooling costs. I need to go thaw my car for the trip home.