Braving the Elements

February 13, 2008

I felt like a wuss yesterday, posting about the weather when so many life-shaping events are happening.

But when I woke up this morning I find that the weather is the hottest topic on the news. Obama made a sweep of the Potomac primaries, drew a crowd of some 15,000 as he spoke in Madison, Wisconsin, but the most important thing is that it's snowing and so cold in the New York City area that lots of people, like me, are staying home.

Today that snow has turned to rain and the temp is up to 50, which means it is possible to go outside wearing snow boots and carrying an umbrella. This is the kind of weather that happens up here in February. Maybe I'll be used to it in ten years or so.

I'm told that Hoboken floods. There are flood advisories up. I don't think it floods in the part of town where I live, but I shall see. The light drizzle I'm looking at doesn't cause a flood in Lower Alabama, but there must be something at work here that I don't know about.

I've got to go out today anyway. Yesterday, with snow blowing about me, I made it out and around the corner to the gym to work out. The two-and-a-half block walk there and back, with snow crunching under my Nikes, was not particularly daunting. In fact, the careful steps onto the snow-covered sidewalk made me feel powerful because I knew how to do it without slipping. You may laugh, but as a young woman who had grown up without seeing snow or walking on patches of ice, I had to learn how slick it can be. I learned the hard way. Now I must be more careful and I've still got all my marbles so I know that and I can do it. Some power, but it's mine and I own it.

I'm out of groceries. I must go out, all the way to the A & P to pick them up. All I need is a warm coat and an umbrella. And those boots. And my mittens. And my handy dandy shopping cart. I'll let you know if I see anybody in rowboats.