My senior year of college, a blizzard hit right after New Years. It shut down the western half of the state. The governor declared it an emergency and sent the National Guard to clear roads and deliver food door-to-door. We started classes almost three weeks late because that's how long it took to dig out the quad-state area.
That experience prompted me to leave (at the earliest opportunity) for warmer climates, where I spent the next 25+ years in (mostly) snowless bliss.
Job and school opportunities brought my wife and I to Chicago. A city with which, admittedly, I have fallen in love.
The polar vortex? Not so much love.
It snowed almost a foot in our area, before the temperature climbed down to -25 and the wind chill to -54 Fahrenheit. We bundled up, broke out the electric blankets, and settled in for a cold couple of days. Thankfully, my classes were canceled and my wife's work put them on half days. We both used the extra time to catch up.
Our dog, however, still had to go outside to do his business at regular intervals. Which reminded me of that blizzard I had in college. And how much I dislike really cold weather. Especially as I was melting the ice off of my glasses when I came back indoors.
On Saturday, the temps crept up to positive numbers and my wife and I went downtown to enjoy the beauty that is unique to Chicago in the winter.
Go forth and write!
That experience prompted me to leave (at the earliest opportunity) for warmer climates, where I spent the next 25+ years in (mostly) snowless bliss.
Job and school opportunities brought my wife and I to Chicago. A city with which, admittedly, I have fallen in love.
The polar vortex? Not so much love.
It snowed almost a foot in our area, before the temperature climbed down to -25 and the wind chill to -54 Fahrenheit. We bundled up, broke out the electric blankets, and settled in for a cold couple of days. Thankfully, my classes were canceled and my wife's work put them on half days. We both used the extra time to catch up.
Our dog, however, still had to go outside to do his business at regular intervals. Which reminded me of that blizzard I had in college. And how much I dislike really cold weather. Especially as I was melting the ice off of my glasses when I came back indoors.
On Saturday, the temps crept up to positive numbers and my wife and I went downtown to enjoy the beauty that is unique to Chicago in the winter.
Go forth and write!
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