A Spring Fling

Last Wednesday's snowstorm caught most of the region by surprise. Most areas had been forecast to get anywhere from a dusting to a couple of inches of snow and instead some places got close to half a foot. Needless to say, some of us were wildly unprepared and I'm not just talking about for how to get rid of the snow. A lot of people just weren't mentally ready for winter. The first snowfall of the year isn't supposed to be anything more than a decoration, making every thing look pretty while also serving as a subtle reminder that the big stuff is not far off. Honestly, the main thing the first little snow of the year is supposed to do is force people to get their acts together. It reminds you to do all the snow prep and outdoor activities you had been putting off, because while you dodged the bullet this time around with few consequences, next time you may not be so lucky. Last week's storm had more than a few people scared we weren't getting that warning shot this winter. The good news is that even though we still have a few snow piles, Mother Nature did the area a solid and gave us a couple last days of mild temperatures to finalize our winter preparations. Even better, they happened on a three-day weekend. All that was left was for us to take advantage of it.

Everywhere I turned this weekend I saw people jogging in shorts, finishing up their yard work or just enjoying being outside. One guy even had a canoe on his roof (I don't know if it was that warm.) Seriously, I don't think I have ever seen so many people out and about like this in November. You expect it in the spring, when people have been cooped up inside for 4 months and the first warm day is like a jailbreak, but usually by this time people have made the switch to heavy coats and they aren't going back until April. Plus, warm days in November are fool's gold, where the temperatures can rapidly shift on the same day from mild in the morning to snowing by the afternoon commute and I normally expect the people of Massachusetts to be smarter than this. I'm not sure if it was because people got a small taste of winter and want to enjoy the warmth because they are aware the snow is closer than ever or if they are just foolish enough to think we're going to have a second mild winter, but whatever their reasons, people weren't going to let a day like today go by unnoticed.

The people who amused me the most were the ones who honestly believe this is some kind of trend, as if the snow on Tuesday was the exception and the last couple days of spring-like weather will be the norm. Of course, the reality for anyone who has lived in this state for a few years is that we know all this two-day summer will really do is slap those people down even harder when the cold ultimately gets here. Even as I'm typing this post with the windows open I'm feeling the cold breeze start to pick up, as if reminding me that even though Global Warming is real, it hasn't quite gotten us to the point of having 70-degree Novembers. I'm sure by the end of the week we will be back to frost warnings and immediately regretting it when we step outside the house without gloves. Not to mention, you would think that if we had learned anything from the last couple of superstorms it would be that no one has any idea what is coming on Friday, let alone how mild or stormy a five months stretch of weather is going to be. Best to prepare for the worst and be pleasantly surprised when it isn't that bad.

Now, I don't want anyone to think I have turned into one of those people you see on the news complaining about snow while shopping for shovels because they threw them away after last winter. Not only am I not stressed out by snow, I actually like it (provided I'm not trying to go anywhere important in it). Also, I live in Massachusetts, I know the deal - it snows here. That is the trade-off for not having alligators, wildfires and bugs the size of Mini-Coopers. All I am saying is that I appreciate getting a little bit of a teaser before the main attraction so that I can get my ducks in a row. That is why in the middle of a mild week you can tell the true New Englanders because they were the ones moving the snowblower to the front of the shed while others were trying to un-bury the bikes they just finished putting away for one more "one last ride". I know it sucks to think you may have put things away too soon, but it beats the alternative. When things are back to normal by Thanksgiving, unless you've come up with a pedal-powered snowblower that bike isn't going to do you much good.