It was a day after
Christmas in the land of no snow
The day after Christmas we had record setting temperatures
well into the low 50’s in the land of no snow. In a land that was by any other
year was use to record setting lows, trips to the emergency room for frost
bite, and kids getting new winter coats because they wore out the ones they
wore the year before. Fathers and sons
were looking forward to trying out their new Ferrari fast snow mobiles and good
Samaritan neighbors often looked forward to being neighborly by blowing out the
driveways of people of lesser means who only had a single shovel. On those rare occasions when Paul the weather
guy was correct in his weather prediction those with just a simple shovel would
rise early in the morning only to find their neighbor had snow blown half of
his driveway. That was the way it was in
the land of snow and when this travesty
of warm California like temperatures started occurring people found it hard to
find other ways of being neighborly. Minnesotans are a very passive bunch and
would often rather do something to befriend someone than spend an hour chatting
with them.
The guys at the VFW hall who went snow chasing came back
empty handed. They drove as far west as
New Mexico before they began seeing flakes before deciding that they ought to
go back home before their wives and girl friends started to miss them. The day
after Christmas was meant as a day where dad’s took their kids sledding at the
nearest hill. It was a day of climbing up the hills pulling their kids in their
sleds and riding down with them if they are young. It was a day where all the dads wished they
had taken better care of themselves and wondering if climbing the hill would
bring on a massive coronary. The day after Christmas was meant to be a day of
drinking hot cocoa and putting another log on the fire and sharing memories of
Christmas’s in by-gone era when the two
of you were small. It was not meant going out side changing fuses in the Christmas lights because the rain had shorted out the lights.
Most families in these parts had already packed away their
summer clothing in October and when Cam the weather guy from CC0 reported more
balmy weather they were left to look at all their sweaters and thick sweat
shirts and wondering what they had to wear.
In one household William was so determined to take advantage of the warm
weather that he ran downstairs to tear into the box marked summer clothes which
was at the very bottom of the neatly arranged stack that took his wife days to
organize.
Families in the land of no snow began to see this as a new
pattern of weather. They began to adapt
by filling their gas grills with propane and getting the garden hoses out and
attempting to get their grass out of dormancy.
The woman in town got together and disperse any seeds they had between
them to see if they could grow something in this much improve growing climate.
Kids were adapting very nicely and in fact enjoyed going
outdoors not having to bundle up so tight with several layers of clothing. Through the front window mom’s and dad’s
could watch as they were riding the bikes they got for Christmas and laughing
with their friends. Some were playing
catch while throwing the football with their dad in the front yard. Little Tommy Thatchard was running through
the sprinkler his mom put out for him. Even the dogs got into the act as they
retrieve the ball that was thrown by their master in a endless game of catch.
The day after Christmas was no retailer’s dream as people
began returning the winter coats they receive for Christmas thinking that they no longer needed these
thick coats with the changing California
like weather that until now they could
only dream about. Retailers had only begun
putting up the signs for spring season wear, but they had no spring clothing to
sell to these people returning their coats. After all, the spring clothing
wasn’t due in until February.
With no snow in the forecast home owners who were counting
on snow to hold their manger scenes down were out of luck. Whenever a northwesterly wind came up each of
these manger figurines would blow over as though nature was having fun
bowling. Mark, who lived in the blue house
across the street from ours had a very frustrating time with his collapsing manger scene until he
decided to give up setting it up until the winds had passed over.
Down at the Realtor’s office, Angela, a registered and
licensed realtor was fielding phone calls from speculators wanting to cash in
on what they think would become new ocean front property when property west of the Minnesota border would
collapse into the ocean as a result of predicted tsunami’s and earthquakes. Overnight small towns near the border saw sky
rocketing land values. Folks like Avis and Arlen Stankey were made instant
millionaires when they sold their small plat of land on E Bay. Lutheran Pastors
were so concerned about this instant wealth that they began delivering sermons
on the dangers of greed.
All good things must come to an end in the land of no snow.
That night we watched Cam the weather guy from CC0 report on a major snow storm
moving in from Colorado. He described
the epic cold that would follow with a path of 10 foot snow drifts. The guys
from the VFW lodge who went snow chasing were buying each other a round of
drinks while patting themselves on their backs because they accomplished their
mission after all.
The good Samaritan neighbors were ecstatic at the prospects
of helping their less fortunate shovel poor neighbors. Those who took their winter coats back to the
store thinking we were about to be the
new California were disappointed and were left to wear their old worn out winter
coat with the tear in the sleeve. Retailers were having a heyday as they sell
the remaining stock of warm winter clothing. Wives were looking forward to
making hot cocoa and reading their novel by the fire while the snow blew
outside. Children that night were all heard praying to God to grant them a snow
day so they could stay home and play.
What they didn’t know was how the school administrators were praying
that everything will work out logistically and that the roads would get plowed
so school could be held. I am sure the good Lord was up there smiling wondering which prayer to answer.
There is a certain badge of honor to living in this
land. Unless you grew up on a farm you
very rarely saw a snow day. Almost as though the folks from the land of snow
enjoyed gloating to their neighbors to the south and west how strong they are
because they made it to work and school despite the high snow drifts and
treacherous roads. They would laugh at the reports from other states when
everything shut down when the temperature dropped below 32 degrees.
The unseasonably warm weather in the land of no snow was
merely a blip on the radar. Almost like God decided to have a laugh by shifting
the weather patterns around and watching people struggle as they try to adapt
to something they are not accustomed to this time of the year. So when
the snow fell and the temperatures dip people were relieved in the land of
snow. Now they get their bragging rights back about how they survived the great
blizzard of 011.
Todd Gabrielson
This was a story I wrote in January which reflects the unseasonably balmy weather we have been having in Minnesota. Even when we are in grief we have to find moments for light hearted laughter.
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