Yes. Yes I have. Probably not what an Fargo-ans (Fargoans? Fargans? Fargo-ites?) would deem worthy of being called snow, but I have seen the fluffy white stuff and the abhorrent ice that accompanies it.
And no, I don't like it.
My first really memorable experience with snow I was in kindergarten, in Wisconsin. I only spent about 8 months in WI and I was very young, so I don't recall much. I have a memory of playing outside, building a dinky, pathetic little snowman, a few snowangels... I went sledding with my daddy a bit. That was nice. I also remember Mom briefly losing control of her vehicle over a patch of ice. That was less than fun.
After that, I didn't really behold "snow" again (more than a few inches anyway) until I moved to SC. I spent fifth, sixth, and part of 7th grad there. During the winter of 6th grade, it started snowing right before homeroom. By the time second period came around, they were loading up the busses and calling parents. Mom and Dad couldn't come get me, which was fine, so I took the bus home like usual.
Now, we lived in the foothills of the Appalachian mountains and that said, it was very hilly. So, the bus driver said sorry kids, this is as far as I can safely go, and dumped us off at a grocery store. The risk of ice and snow on the hills was apparently too great. But what were we kids supposed to do? If our parents couldn't pick us up from school, why would they possibly be able to get us from the grocery store? Suffice it to say it was quite a while before my mom was able to come get me. There was a small stroke of luck; in the same shopping center there was a veterinarian. It just so happened my collie was undergoing minor surgery that same day, so the very nice vet let me stay in the office until my mom could come get me, and Mollie, our dog.
I didn't see significant snow again until my sophomore year of high school. It was a huge joke, too, because during about second period when all the kids had their faces pressed to the windows, watching the white stuff accumulate, the principal came over the PA system, "Students! Under NO circumstances will school be dismissed early or cancelled. I expect you all to pay attention and those who don't will serve detention." One hour later, he was eating his words. "Students. In 30 minutes we will release the Seniors and anyone who carpools with a senior. In 45 minutes, Juniors and those who carpool with juniors" etc. The student council went as far as to make T-shirts with his first quote on the front and him retracting the statement on the back. They sold for $20, as a fundraiser for prom, I think.
Senior year we saw a little bit of snow then, too. School was closed for a few days, and the snow melted really quick. It caused flooding in some areas, and some black ice from when it would refreeze overnight. Not fun.
Winter of 2010 saw the worst snowstorm I've ever seen. The city I lived in shut down for seven days. The place was a ghost town for a full week! People were getting stuck, and having wrecks, and no one could get anything done. We called in neighboring cities to try to help clear the streets, but DFW just wasn't equipped for the kind of snowfall we saw in the time frame we saw it. I'd say we got almost 8 inches in 24 hours, and it didn't go away anytime soon. The ice that followed the storm was treacherous. Everyone that owned a Jeep or a 4 wheel drive thought no big deal... And were proven wrong.
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| Snow in Texas. This was 2010, my senior year. |
I'm not looking forward to the snow this year. I'm not looking forward to blizzards this year. I'm just thankful I live in a place that is fully prepared for that type of weather, and they won't be caught unawares. The first time I skid on ice, though, in my little Mazda... rest assured, I will pull over safely and have a good cry/freakout before continuing. I've been reading everything I can get my little hands on regarding WHAT TO DO when you hit ice. Shift to neutral, steer into the direction you skid, let off the gas and brake..... Jeez.
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