Growing up as I did in the Midwest, winter snow was a common occurrence. So was getting up at night to start my car in subzero weather so it would start the next day, or needing help on occasion to remove snow drifts from my front door so I could get out of my apartment.
In those days, I would gaze out my window at night and wonder, why am I here? I couldn’t wait to leave the Midwest.
When I got the chance to move to Houston, a city I’d never seen before, this small-town Midwestern girl headed out happily to embrace endless heat and summer sun.
Fast forward many years. My husband Henry and I started traveling more as his kids went off to college. We discovered a life outdoors, including hiking in Switzerland in the wintertime and taking a bike tour outside of Amsterdam. When we paid for our tour the guy said, “We don’t cancel because of weather. This is The Netherlands. We put on a coat.”
That advice stayed with me as we moved to the Pacific Northwest and learned not to let a little inclement weather keep us indoors.
This year, as some of you know, we’re spending the fall and winter in New York City. Through December we wondered if winter would come at all! It was 70 degrees on Christmas Day.
I needn’t have worried. Winter has come, and all at once! We were treated to 25 inches of snow that fell between Friday and Saturday nights.
We don’t have a car in Manhattan, so unlike many poor souls we don’t need to dig it out. We also don’t have to shovel. The apartment is toasty warm. So…we get to just enjoy the snow!
Here’s a video of some guys we saw “skiing” down the avenues as the car ban went into effect.
I’m sure if the entire winter were like this, we wouldn’t enjoy it. But for now, we’re having a great time!
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What She Knew is now available for pre-order! The ebook version is available February 29, and the paperback release date is March 29. Foreword Clarion Reviews calls is “a poignant, personal read.”
gwynnrogers says
I’m glad you are having so much fun in NY. Your pictures are fun to see. Will I be able to purchase your book at Barnes and Nobles? I look forward to reading it.
admin says
I don’t know if B&N will carry it. I’m publishing it through CreateSpace with the expanded distribution option, but as I understand it, Amazon doesn’t offer the big discounts that chain bookstores demand…so we’ll see. But I’m giving you one as a gift anyway!
Anabel Marsh says
It looks pretty amazing! White snow, blue sky – beautiful. But I bet Henry was cold, how could you even walk in it that deep?
admin says
Good question — we are well equipped with the latest thermal underwear, which is nice and thin, and waterproof boots designed for cold temperatures. We were quite comfortable! It’s not easy to walk in it, but we figured we were getting some great exercise.
Liz A. says
CNN did, like, the whole day Saturday on the blizzard in NYC. Kind of…interesting…to watch from SoCal.
admin says
I know the feeling, having lived in warmer climes! It may get old for me after a while, but this one was fun to be part of.
Lidy says
This has been the weirdest winter weather. 60-70 degrees on Christmas? Well at least my kids got their white Christmas, albeit 3 weeks later. But I remember NYC during a snow storm. There’d be so much snow your street would get turned into a ski slope. Glad you and your husband enjoyed yourselves.
admin says
I’ve heard about people skiing down Avenue B near us. I’m glad your kids got some snow! So far, the forecast is looking warmer than usual for February, too.
Carol Z says
This has been the oddest winter weather I can imagine. Most amazingly I have put my boots away for now and am happily back to sneakers. The streets are that good. I went downtown on Tuesday and was shocked to see not one bit of snow where I came out of the subway on Broad Street. There was still snow in other places, but that was beyond belief to me. So looking forward to your book!
admin says
We went out of town for a few days to a spa near Milton, NY. No snow there at all. There’s still some snow covering walkways in Tomkins Square Park and in Ridgewood, where my stepdaughter lives, but it’s amazing what a difference a week makes!
Mary Aalgaard says
What fun to experience the snow and not have to shovel or dig out your car! I saw a few pictures of NYC during and after the blizzard. How bizarre it must have been to see deserted streets! And, how beautiful the snow must have looked under the Broadway lights.
admin says
It was a lot of fun, Mary! Very strange to walk out onto the avenues. We’re staying in the East Village, which is a ways from Broadway, so we did not see the snow under the lights. Maybe next time!