Southerners and The Big Chill!

Since Rex the weatherman had been telling me for several days to prepare for the "Arctic blast" that was surely headed our way, I did what all good Americans do, and headed to Walmart to pick up the necessary supplies. Apparently the necessary supplies do not come cheap, because my bill totaled $145.
Southerners can prepare for a hurricane with one hand tied behind our backs, but we do not know what to do with extremely cold weather. We don't have chains, snow plows, or de-icing equipment. We don't invest in heavy winter clothing, because we just don't use it enough. Sometimes many years go by without even so much as a glimpse of a snowflake, and on those rare occasions when we do see snow, we declare a national holiday! Schools and businesses close, with all news outlets devoting the vast majority of time and space to coverage of the white stuff. We sit around and reminisce about the great snows of the past, when as much as 2-4 inches fell. We remember where we were and what we were doing during these momentous events.

Today I sit, hibernating in my warm house, thankful for Willmut Gas and my central heating unit. I look out my window and see a beautiful blue sky. There is no snow. Just bone-chilling, body aching, face burning cold. It is 23 degrees outside, with a wind chill of 11. My friends from the Northern states would probably call that a warm snap, but down here we call it a brutal shock to the system.

Do I sound like I'm whining? Well, maybe I am, just a little, but I'll try to put on my big girl britches and deal with it. I will not, however, be leaving my house. Today looks like it's shaping up to be a good day for creating some new art.

Who wants chili?