Breaking News
We have snow. Folks, here in the County that is news.
Now I love the South in general, and N.C. in particular, as much as any human being ever blessed to tromp around down here, but I have to tell you I don’t understand why snow gives us such a conniption fit, but it does.
From some of the pictures I’ve seen of the English Professor’s stomping ground, my bet is he walked to school in snow ten times as deep as what we have today, and uphill both ways.
For us, though, a collective chaos sets in. Schools close, there is a run on bread and milk at the Piggly Wiggly, and conservative old doctors search attics for lost sleds with rusty runners. Even the professional news people get downright giddy, and don toboggans and scarfs to go out and scoop the news from every decent drift they can capture with a camera.
All this is well ingrained behavior- imprinted from childhood. My mom never had the radio on in the mornings, so when I heard it blaring away downstairs, I knew it had snowed before I looked out of the window. There was a local AM radio celebrity all the kids loved. When Mr. Hughie’s baritone boomed out the news, “Boys and girls they’ll be no school in the County today,” a collective baby boomer cheer went up in every household.
I’ve always kept a four wheel drive vehicle in the family in case of an emergency, so I can’t wait to see if it goes into gear O.K. It has been three years since I’ve used it. We are a modern office nowadays, though, and going in on a late schedule. I’m afraid it’s gonna all melt before I can try it out.
Hey before it is all over, you are going to know all the doctor secrets. We used to have one old doc who fretted every time it snowed. Once I asked him why, and he said, “I’m afraid my patients won’t be able to get in and they’ll figure out they don’t need me.” I always say the best Doc knows he should be out earning an honest living, but loves practicing medicine too much to quit. I’d better get on into work, I do still enjoy it.
See ya. Marfar wants a snowman before I go in. There ain’t enough to scrape one together, but I’m gonna try. Only the best for her.
I’ll be back when it melts (around Saturday am) with more on acute illness and chest pain.
Dr. B
January 17, 2008 at 9:04 am
You know, I have to laugh whenever any of my southern friends start going on about snow. Perhaps my post today should be about the white stuff – we’ve got PLENTY of it around here, and more’s coming….
January 17, 2008 at 9:17 am
I also find it humorous. We were in Atlanta one day when freezing rain fell and the temperature was about 30. It was chaos! Pandemonium! At the time, we had driven down from the frozen north, so the weather seemed like a heat wave to us.
January 17, 2008 at 9:19 am
Snow and Southerners just don’t quite mix mrschili, and I’m one of ‘em. Be careful on those sleds or skis, they are awful good business for the Orthopedists.
Dr. B
January 17, 2008 at 9:24 am
Pandemonium and Southern snow. That says it all! Dr. B
January 17, 2008 at 9:38 am
Here you go, Doc. Just for you!
http://theinnerdoor.wordpress.com/2008/01/17/i-got-yer-snow-right-heyah/
January 17, 2008 at 10:01 am
Cool! Y’all check that out. Dr. B
January 17, 2008 at 3:59 pm
Up to my hips and mush, mush, on King, on you huskies! They say the most dangerous day on New Hampshire roads is first snow. That’s the one where all us New Englanders have to remember how to drive on the stuff. After that, it’s all a matter of defensive driving.
Do you know why women in Southern California have vehicles with four wheel drive?
So they can drive over the curb when they go to cocktail parties.
This morning, as I trudged over the the shower house, I thought that maybe I’d rather move the stuff than get wet from it, but I was in a bad mood. – Ted
January 17, 2008 at 4:17 pm
Ted,
If I ever tour the great North East, I hope you’ll be my guide. I’m a lousy snow driver and my feet always get cold too. This southern boy ain’t too good with the elements.
Today I used my official Red Knuckles and the Trailblazers ice scraper. The thing is twenty years old and still looks brand new-just not that much use of it down here. It came with a lifetime warranty issued by Pete Wernick. Dr. B
January 17, 2008 at 6:55 pm
Dr Bibey, Love your post. Thanks for remembering my dear friend Mr Hughie. I can hear his voice in my head to this day. The remarks would make his girls proud. By the way, it was Arthur Godfrey who played the ukelele. Lynn O’Carroll
January 17, 2008 at 9:01 pm
Lynn,
That man made many a young’un happy huh? So did Mr. Godfrey- thanks for tracking that down for me. Dr. B
January 18, 2008 at 2:35 pm
I think Charles Kuralt said it best, “Snow is God’s gift to children.” At least to children in the South. I always knew before looking outside that it had snowed. There is a quietness that only snow brings in the South. If nothing else it teaches us that for a day we can let the world go by. At least some can. There are those of us who must venture out. There are few days better than the snowy one I can spend at the sewing machine watching the flakes fall. Thanks for the comments.
B
January 18, 2008 at 4:31 pm
All true, Bell. My wife likes to sew when it snows too, and you’ve never seen any kid who loves snow or Christmas more than that girl. Dr. B