Our winter of discontent

(apologies to John Steinbeck)

Barb and I have lived through yet another "storm" here in Lancaster County Pennsylvania. Two snow events yesterday left about 15 inches on top of the snow we had last week. I am pleased to report that our electricity service has been constant with only a one-second blip a few storms back. We haven't suffered too much .... except for listening to over-the-top TV weather broadcasters and listening to people exaggerate, whine and complain. We are fat and warm and the water runs and the plumbing works too. We have most all the creature comforts we could wish for.

With both our workplaces (Mennonite Central Committee and Smilebuilderz) closed, both of us enjoyed a "snow day" together on Thursday and are going back to work today. The forecast is for more snow Saturday. We enjoyed buttermilk waffles for breakfast and Barb broke out one of her thrift shop jigsaw puzzles.

While we have been spoiled by little snow the past few years (except for a big dump in Feb. 2010), this year is much different. Still we are not the "top 10" in terms of snow for the season. My guess is that if the present frequency and amounts keep up we will enter the "top 10".

I've probably mentioned before that until living on the East Coast, I hadn't realized how growing up and living in the Central Plains had made me such a hardy winter dweller. After living here five years I concede that I am weather "soft" and consider myself pretty much "sissified" by the much more temperate climate here.

But, that said, I still am amazed at how people here react to snowfall and "cold" (10°s and 20°s F). Or, the hate of impending snowfall. It weighs heavy. My co-workers of all ages were obsessed with the storm forecast and ever escalating snow depth rumors resulting from all the hype. I tried to tell them there was nothing we could do about what happens with the weather. Weather has been the dominant topic of conversation. I told them I hope the storm lives up to the hype so they aren't disappointed.

The snow yesterday, while copious, fell ever so softly and beautifully —like a picture out of Ideal magazine. Not a blizzard.

I must emphasize that with millions of people living here and the much more congested and tight living spaces and infrastructure these snowfalls are more critical. Also it's much hillier here and icey roads are much less drivable than in eastern SoDak.

I don't know how schools will make up all the cancellations. There is discussion of the state declaring some exception to the school year days requirement. The cost of the snow and cold is great in many ways all over the country this year including closed offices, lower production, lower paychecks, higher fuel bills. etc. Our PennDOT crews have been kept very busy. Going through many huge shedfuls of road deicer. In Lancaster city they have started hauling snow from the streets to business park parking lots for the first time this winter. Usually they let it melt in place.

So I have joined others here in grumbling about the weather. That's how it is. At least it gives me something else to complain about other than pancreatic cancer. Come to think of it, by far, it isn't the only thing I like to complain about. I also like to complain about NBC's coverage of the Olympics, Barack Obama, software programs and lots of other stuff.

One thing I DO NOT complain about is your following these scribblings and support in my fight to live. Next Monday I will have my 90-day [or tri-monthly, or quarterly — whichever term works for you] CT scan and meet with Dr. Yee on Wednesday with plans to start another cycle of chemo. I will post the scan results here next week. I have no reason to believe that anything has changed. But one never knows.

Happy Valentine's Day to everyone.