Yep, it’s 45 degrees, sunny and a bit windy in southern NJ today. Good for me, because my furnace decided to stop blowing warm air this morning! There’s a 20 degree difference between outdoors and in…which makes my dog, Koan, very happy and willing to stay inside for the day.
The furnace situation will be taken care of tomorrow. I have hot water and gas…just no furnace! And no worries…spent my last two Syracuse winters in a 3rd floor apartment without heat! Of course, I also spent the Buffalo blizzards of ‘67, ‘77, and ‘82 (and a few other harsh winters) without heat from time to time as well.
Life could be worse… I can’t say that I miss this all that much:
Although I’ve done my fair share of driving in, shoveling out, and trudging through snow in the past. And the Seminole Parkway block party that my former next-door neighbor Larry organized in 1984 made the two-week wait for the Army Corps of Engineers to dig us out an incredible event! Who knew Monopoly could become a drinking game?
Still, upstate NY weather never ceases to amaze me at certain times of the year. These shots from the Syracuse Post-Standard capture the beauty and the wonder of why so many people choose to remain:
No doubt, upstate NY can be incredibly spectacular in winter.
I have to admit, though…I’ve waited for the Metro bus at Clinton Square more than a few times on dark, cold, wintry evenings on my way home from SU – and while indeed beautiful, I froze so badly it took me all the way to Liverpool to move my fingers and toes!
So, while I’m not shoveling or driving through snow like many of my old pals in upstate New York are doing today, I hope all of them are well and in good spirits (besides in the ones available on Seneca Street, M Street, Elmwood Ave, Hertel Ave, and spread throughout the City of Oswego). I wish you all the best for a wonderful holiday and a few days of respite from shoveling and driving.
I’ll be waiting for a 6:30 AM wake-up call tomorrow from the furnace fixers…’til then, it’s hot coffee, sweats, socks, and blankets!
