Column from Jennifer Lindsey
I really don't like the cold.
Literally, when I was younger, I was convinced I was allergic to winter because of how my sinuses would react during cold weather. Now, I’ve figured out it’s something in the air (wind) and come up with ways to mitigate the effects.
However, growing up here in Oklahoma, snow was a beautiful mystery. We get it so rarely, and a lot of times it was more ice than snow. Pictures of snow-covered landscapes seemed so pretty on wall calendars and television shows. Curiosity about snow helped lead me towards attending college in New England.
Then I got there and experienced it. On the positive side, things do not shut down there like they do here. Because snow comes and stays for months on end, communities invest in the equipment needed to minimize the impact of snow and ice on the roads and sidewalks.
On the negative side, when winter hit during my first-year, I was unprepared for the cold sticking around day in and day out and for the logistics of walking through the snow whenever I needed to go somewhere. The result was like in the movie “Cool Runnings,” when the Jamaican bobsled team arrives in Canada and Sanka dons his every piece of clothing including his duffle bag before leaving the airport. I didn’t wear any luggage, but I definitely looked ridiculous with the amount of unmatching layers I wore.
Thankfully, my roommate was from Houston, so we looked ridiculous together. We’re still besties today and do mandatory check-ins when either faces “white dirt” and other bad winter weather. Being back in Garvin County, I don’t face it often, which I appreciate.
Also during my college years, I came up with a personal rule for myself: I don't go out if the weather is younger than me.
For example, as a college kid, I would turn down party invites if the temperature was in the teens.
As an adult, I’ve continued to organize my activities with this rule in mind. During this past storm, I essentially hibernated through the weekend. Friday through Monday I read 1,130 pages, making quite the dent in my hardcopy TBR (to be read) pile since I could curl up in a single spot and read.
Having time to relax and reset is really under-appreciated in adulthood, so I enjoyed having the chance this past weekend. Even if you don’t have a rule like mine, I hope you managed to stay warm and find something to appreciate during this winter storm shutdown.
Since I got older than freezing, I have some loosely applied exceptions. For example, I came to the office today instead of writing from home. The temperature wasn't older than me yet, but it will be. Newspapers are like the mail, they have to go out regardless of the weather.
Also undeterred by the weather - my recipe hunt as mentioned in my Jan. 16 column. Read an update in next week’s edition.
