Fun for Friday - Winter for a Southerner

Wow, this week sure felt like it was going to last forever. Funny how some weeks seem to drag on while others don't. How does that happen?

It's been an exciting weather week for us in the South. I swear someone picked up Arkansas and plopped it down in the north. We've had temps in the teens, freezing rain and sleet, highs in the 20's, and even a dusting of snow. And amazingly enough, I've gotten my butt out there in this weather and run. I think the cold is getting to my head.

Ice from Tuesday

This is vastly different from last year's winter. To put it in persepective, our average February temps are lows of 34.8°F and highs of 55.6°F. Our high yesterday was in the low 20's, today I think it's supposed to hit 30. We're not even hitting the average lows. What?

And of course everyone tends to complain about some part of each season no matter where you're from. We complain about 100+ degrees in the summer, rain and wind in the spring. Fall might be our only truly ideal season to be honest. But winters here are supposed to be fairly mild. We're not accustomed to extremes of the winter like we are for summers.

Winter for a Southerner: 

• The mention of ice storm sends everyone into a panic. Schools close long before the precipitation enters the state. You automatically assume you're going to lose power, you know bridges and over passes will be slick, but yahoos in their trucks assume they're invincible. 

• Snow flurries will send everyone to their windows to sit and stare at the wonderment even if the flurries are so teeny tiny you even question if they're really snow flakes.

• We break out our "big" coats around 50 degrees. So the fact that we're below freezing right now speaks volumes as to how cold we are! 

• The mere mention of wintery weather means everyone suddenly needs bread and milk. I mean, we might be stuck inside for several hours right? 

• We secretly hope the weather people are correct and we will have some significant snow, but deep down we really don't believe them. And then we're all confused and feel blindsided if there really is actual snow. And by actual snow, I mean flurries. 

• We complain profusely as to how cold it is outside when it hits 40 degrees. 40 degrees to us is 10  degrees in the north (southern temperature conversions). So this week with it being single-digits with windchill? Yep, Alaska weather!

• We don't understand why everyone in the north complains about the snow. We want to see some snow for a change. Of course, if it sticks around longer than two days, well ... that's just wrong.

• You don't put away your warm-weather running gear because it'll be 50 degrees within a few days of any winter storm. 

How do you handle winter in your part of the world? Do you still complain even when it's what you're used to each year? Do you ever get used to all that cold?