Friday, January 31, 2014

While We're On The Subject of Unnecessary Comments...

Let's talk about the weather, shall we? 

Let's talk about
Winter Storm Leona. 

source

Yes, I got that right. I realize that the powers- that-be over at weather central have named this storm Leon, but if you've gotten so silly as to tag every little breeze with a name, I'm going to be so silly as to rename it. I have renamed this storm Leona. 

Leon is a man's name, for goodness sake. Anybody who knows anything knows that there has been nothing whatsoever masculine about Dixie Winter 2014.  No, this winter event is most definitely a woman. 

A 50 year old woman. 

I know that because Leona is going through The Change. 

On Monday, we were in shirt sleeves for our morning walk. One of us might have  done a little sweating, too,  and griped about it.

By Tuesday afternoon, Leona had turned into an ice princess, and she's been icy ever since. There's just no talking to her, people.  Not to worry, though... By tomorrow we're getting another hot flash. Temperatures are predicted to be in the  70's and wet.

See? The Change. 

Of course, that's just what is predicted.  Menopausal winter storms are anything but predictable.  What will actually occur is subject to The Change as well.

Leona did just what she felt like doing.  She wasn't supposed to visit the Atlanta area at all.  If you listened to the weather mavens at the national level, the old gal was supposed to venture across more southern parts of the state. In fact, our little area was supposed to be in the bull's eye.  Leona was supposed to bring us a good five inches of snow.   I admit it. Folks around here were excited.


Miss Whimsy got snow. 



All we got was the cold shoulder and the icy stare.




Leona wasn't even supposed to get to Georgia until early evening, either.  Like the menopausal winter witch that she is, though, she got a little surge going. She barged in three hours early and headed wherever she jolly well pleased.

She was jolly well pleased to hit Atlanta.

source


That's why the good folks there were ill-prepared. That's why some of them got stranded. They listened to the dudes who had named her Leon to begin with.

As if...

I heard a little snickering on the news about all of that. Oh, who am I kidding? I heard a lot of snickering. I heard so much snickering, in fact, that I actually changed my news channel to one that I rarely watch, one based out of Atlanta.  It just seemed to me that the folks actually living in the middle of the menopausal winter might have a better take on the situation than those living up where 95 degrees for week   is considered  such a weather emergency that it gets its own theme music for commercial breaks.

As if...
Snicker


Yeah, two can plan at this game.


I yakked a bit the other day about unnecessary commentary.  Friends,  I can't think of any commentary, veiled or otherwise, that is less necessary in the middle of a *weather event* than snide remarks made by those who aren't in the middle of it.

The simple fact is that when you are unused to a weather pattern, be it hot or cold, you are unused to it. Period. You might not have homes equipped with such things as air conditioners or closets full of such things as heavy winter coats.

Did you realize that there is more than one kind of winter coat?  Maybe not. Maybe you live in a place where a coat means a coat.  Here? Maybe not so much.

The first thing the Practical One discovered upon moving to DC was that she didn't have one. Oh, she thought she did. She had all sorts of southern coating options. They look warm enough. Down here, they even feel warm enough on the three days in January that you get to wear them   They weren't warm enough for long walks to work in DC, though.

(Another shameless excuse to show pictures of my children. 
Won't I make the most insufferable grandmother?)

But I digress...

While Snidely the Newsman was snickering at the people stranded in Atlanta on Tuesday, I wonder if he was so ignorant as to assume that they even owned a true winter coat?  I wonder if he even cared that the miles some of them were trekking were walked in the only clothing they had, that which is very appropriate for a Georgia winter.

I did.

I thought of all the people who might be trying to get home in weather conditions they could not possibly be prepared for. (Dear Mr. Snidely, exactly when did you learn to drive in the snow? Was it by any chance... in the snow? Yeah, I thought so.)

I thought of those people with their Dixie coats and driving skills, and I prayed for them.


I imagined my precious niece, whom I love so very much, walking alone in her heeled boots and southern- styled winter coat.  I was grateful to learn that she wasn't stranded, thank God. She made the ten mile trip by vehicle in a record hour and a half.

Others didn't fare so well. Maybe they were mothers with children... or mothers trying to get to their children.  Betcha they were someone's loved one. Betcha that someone was worried about them.

So  to what purpose must we endure the snide comments during the weather events?  I can't think of a single one. That's why I use the same finger on the Snideleys that I use on the Swoopers.  Only this time, I use it to change the channel.

And that's all I have to say about that. 

So... how's your winter treating you?

28 comments:

Sue said...

Perfectly said as always. We are having the same menopausal weather here ~ 75 today then back to the 30's. That is the exact description of it too. Love it and will totally copy it as I go on about the weather here to all who will listen:-)
As to Mr. Snidely ~ he and his friends are the reason I have given up all TV {except for Downton Abbey } I am ignorant, but happy.
Have a wonderful day Debbie.

{and I loved seeing pics of your girls!}

Elizabeth Edwards said...

where is that gorgeous old home? i'm guessing that is your daughter? i need to see that building in person - what gorgeous spires. amazing architecture!! i love snow. i know it causing problems for so many. heating & driving issues. but it is so great for pictures. ( :

Vee said...

Agreed. Some things just are not funny. A little empathy is required at such times. We have heard a lot of nightmarish stories from Leon. (I rather like the name Leona...a family one, but I don't know anyone named Leon. =D )

You can keep right on showing your daughters' photos...beautiful gals!

Dayle ~ A Collection of Days said...

I'm in total agreement, as is usually the case here. For anyone to mock the people who were hit, unexpectedly and unprepared, is just shy of criminal.

Why waste tax dollars on snow and ice shovelers (or whatever they may have up north) when we may need them once every two decades?

The thing with mother nature is, nobody can predict what she will do because she is controlled by a higher power than the rest of us, and she's bigger than the rest of us.

Great post, friend. Loved the analogy, too.

Deanna Rabe - Creekside Cottage Blog said...

Love seeing photos of your beautiful girls!

I felt so bad for those in Atlanta and elsewhere who are not used to the white stuff. It is hard to drive in snowy conditions even where we are used to it.

We've had a terrible winter here - cold, snow, ice…the super cold temps we are not used to that cause the treatment they put on the highways to not work, so we had icy roads….

Im grateful that I don't have TV anymore. That kind of attitude drives me crazy!

Deanna

Sharon said...

Sorry about Leona - as in really and truly sorry.

Winter has been weird here. I've been down by the beach for the last month, and we had: a heat wave, high winds, an earthquake, cold drizzle, sunny blue skies.

Yesterday I arrived home in the mountains where it was colder and hazy. Today, Leona's sister, Letty Rain is thrashing at the windows.

But, who knows - tomorrow I may have to drag out my bikini. Wait, scratch that - NEVER AGAIN will I be dragging out any sort of bikini...

Hang in there - but I gotta say, the bad weather has prompted another vintage Debbie post. I laughed...but not at you. Promise.

Ann said...

Bravo, Debbie! I was actually pleased with one report I saw because he made comments similar to yours putting things in perspective for those who are used to temps in the teens and single digits.
I recently opened my SIL's eyes. She lives in CT and when I showed her a photo of our 5 + inches of snow, she said that was "just a dusting" to her. Well, I bet they have sand trucks and snow plows and 4-wheel drive and insulated houses. When I mentioned we had to let our faucets drip, she was amazed.
Love seeing Miss Whimsey in the snow. She looks happy!
The practical one has a heavy duty coat now...right?
We got rid of all our snow gear 20 years ago...whoops!

Right on as usual!
Cheers!

Kim@stuffcould.... said...

I so worried about my niece who was in her car for 19 hours trying to get home. She made it but I know we dont even have proper winter gear, I sure dont carry it in my car either. You made great points about what Atlanta went through. Sure the ice caught us by surprise

Lynn said...

We do get snow and ice here in Philly and I say it all the time, take it seriously and be careful! I've read some scary things about how this storm affected the south and it's a shame. I do also hear it's warming up today and tomorrow so hopefully it will all be a memory soon:@)

Bargain Decorating with Laurie said...

You are sooo right, Debbie. When we lived in Little Rock, I angrily listened to a reporter, who was standing on a street corner, giddy with excitement, because 2 tornadoes were supposed to collide in the middle of the City! Then, with disappointment, he reported that one tornado had turned another direction! He was fired from his job shortly after the station's phone lines began ringing. You are also right about the menopausal weather. Our weekend is supposed to be pretty nice, but snow, ice, or sleet predicted all of next week! I may have to send for one of those "Northern weather coats"! laurie

Debbie said...

Oh I loved this Debbie. And I soo agree. Why in the world WOULD you have that kind of preparation for the winters you usually have. Anymore than we would have here. Today is overcast and gloomy. But most of January has been full of warm, and at times REALLY warm weather. Unusual even for us. Just weird weather everywhere. Enjoy your week-end Deb!

Linda W said...

Bravo, well said! How I would love for Mr. Snidely Newscaster to read your thoughts. I think his face would be, rightfully, very RED.

Love the name change from Leon to Leona. Yes, The Change indeed!

http://bitsandpieces-sonja.blogspot.com/ said...

As usual, you just make me laugh Debbie! This was so much fun to read. Leona... I like it! I GET it! Bottom line... just blame it all on'global warming'! :)

Chatty Crone said...

I have to agree and think you should have the name officially changed. It was a woman for sure!

And boy were we hit with that storm - one of those cars could have been my husband's!

And you know unless you live in Atlanta - when you 'see' things - no one gets it.

sandie

Barbara Neubeck said...

...wow.. those are terrible storms.
The weather is strange all over the world at the moment... record levels of everything. I think Mother Nature is definately going through The Change, now you point it out Debbie... hadn't thought about it too much.
Hope you all stay safe...
Hugs and Blessings..
Barb xx

Gaby said...

Only you could compare a winter storm to a menopausal woman and nail it. Yes, I was upset about the snickering from the North all the way down here in SC. I lived in Kansas for 8 years. I know winters. I know this is not a MidWest winter, but I also know that after living 11 years in sunny SC, when it gets to be 40 degrees, we are COLD. It's all relative. Anyway, we were all frustrated with our less than kind Northerly neighbors laughing at our distress.

Scribbler said...

What a great well-written post! Comparing the storm to a menopausal woman is hilarious. And Snidely the Newsman? Too funny!

Debbiedoos said...

I was just talking about this to my boys today! Of course I left out the menopausal part lol, they live with that already. Well said Debbie!

Mevely317 said...

Bravo!!!
Loved the photos of your beautiful daughters, Debbie!

Manuela@A Cultivated Nest said...

Love how you compared this storm to a menopausal woman! It was hot the day before just like it was hot today a few days after.

I didn't really watch any news except the local so I don't know other than snippets what people outside the state were saying. I just know that a whole lot of people in Atlanta aren't happy about the way things were handled. We have equipment - we bought more after the 2011 snow storm. Apparently we just don't know when to use it!

Denise at Forest Manor said...

Well said, Debbie, well said! I think the quote at the top of your sidebar sums up Mr. Snidely on the news channel. Some folks can only feel better when they're making fun of someone else.

When Hurricane Sandy hit last year, I can't imagine anyone I know making fun of folks up there for being in such a fix. But mistakes are often made by politicians and others in charge that end up affecting all the citizens in the area. I personally thought Mayor Bloomberg did a couple of odd things, but that was certainly not the fault of all the people living in the area and having to deal with the storm and its aftermath.

There are always good people, no matter where you live, who get busy helping out in a crisis instead of criticizing and making fun, and these good people are the real heroes.

I hope you have a great day.

Hugs,

Denise

Denise at Forest Manor said...

Well said, Debbie, well said! I think the quote at the top of your sidebar sums up Mr. Snidely on the news channel. Some folks can only feel better when they're making fun of someone else.

When Hurricane Sandy hit last year, I can't imagine anyone I know making fun of folks up there for being in such a fix. But mistakes are often made by politicians and others in charge that end up affecting all the citizens in the area. I personally thought Mayor Bloomberg did a couple of odd things, but that was certainly not the fault of all the people living in the area and having to deal with the storm and its aftermath.

There are always good people, no matter where you live, who get busy helping out in a crisis instead of criticizing and making fun, and these good people are the real heroes.

I hope you have a great day.

Hugs,

Denise

Renée said...

I am so pleased to see you here and going again! The West is praying for moisture and we got a little snow this morning and now the sun is melting it. Hope this trend continues and yes, we hear you have three big storms coming this week!

I've dried my tears over the passing of your sweet friend. Just knowing where she is and who she's with after such a wonderful life with special friends makes me celebrate her life. Thanks for sharing Debbie.

The Decorative Dreamer said...

I had to change the channel too! Listening to all the news reports coming out about Atlanta,I was sick of hearing everyone blaming everyone about why the snow left so many people stranded. It was a bad situation made worse by all the negative comments for sure!

The Quintessential Magpie said...

You are patching to the choir, Debbie! AMEN and AMEN!

It made me furious to hear about people making fun of the people in Atlanta. We don't make fun of the snowbirds in Florida who drive like complete idjets in one of our gulleywashers. They are clueless about it, and I can appreciated that. It is not something they are used to doing, and they are afraid... Vey understandable. And you don't hear people making fun of tornado victims in Pennsylvania where they never have tornados.

Shame on those newscasters! Shame! Shame! Shame!

Nor did you hear newscasters making fun of the people in NYC or NJ when that storm hit them. No, you saw people concerned. So what is the difference here?

On a differentg note, I have been MIA, under the weather. And reading your last post, I just cried my eyes out. That is the most beautiful post I have read on the internet. You are a marvel. Sending you two hugs on your loss and Heaven's gain.


Love you...


Sheila

The Quintessential Magpie said...

Preaching, not PATCHING. IPAD, thy name is satan!

Ginger said...

Have to throw in my agreement with this post--especially the part about temps in the 90's being considered a weather crisis up north! Our school closed one day for wind chills; many of our students don't own a coat or gloves and couldn't safely wait for the bus in those temperatures. Common sense and kindness would go a long way.

Sharlotte said...

We saw all this terrible weather here in Houston and I think that's the reason our city was shut down twice...the saying was, "...did you see Atlanta?"
However, we got just a few drifts, small amounts of hail...nothing like your pictures.

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