Baby It's Cold Outside!

It's February.  After a soggy Autumn, we now have cold winds and snow.  Snow?!  Wait, we're in Georgia.  What are we doing with four inches of snow on the ground?  Ah, yes.  It's that time for...EL NINO!  It was a bad El Nino Winter many years ago which drove me from a frozen Washington, D.C. to seek the sunnier climate of Central Florida.  I worked in Reston, VA but lived in Fredericksburg, (getting my B.A. in Art History).  Several times a week, I'd commute a little over 1 hour each way to get to either work or home.  Not that bad of a trip but anyone who has experienced Interstate 95 during rush hour, with a snow storm, (I think they even used the word, blizzard, back then) and of course, no more salt or sand to lay down on the roads, would understand my exodus out of D.C.  Yes, Mid-Atlantickers...D.C. ran out of salt and sand!  Let's just hope this Winter, the DOT was mindful and stocked up with enough grit to cover the roads.


Speaking of grit, Georgia, is ill experienced with snow.  But that's okay, they shouldn't be.  It's not supposed to snow here.  The average temperature in Athens, GA for February is 56 degrees.  56 DEGREES FOLKS, NOT 37!  So Wal-mart, (yes Wal-Mart) must be doing well selling cold weather clothes.  Good thing I bought Zelig's snow boots when I did.  They were the last in his size, but I couldn't find snow gloves for him in small.  What I bought him are huge but they keep his hands warm, (when his hands are in them and not in the snow making snowballs). 

Speaking of Wal-Mart...yes, I've shopped there.  And still do.  Maybe once a week.  I'd rather not.  I'd rather go to Kroger's or even Publix, but both are not in Monroe.  The closest of the two, Kroger's, is perhaps 15 minutes away.  It's certainly not too far out of the way to go after I've dropped off Zelig at school, but to be honest with you, it does cost more to shop at Kroger's and yes, there are times when I need a can of spray paint, snow boots and a carton of milk.  Where can I get all that in one stop?  Wal-Mart is easy on my wallet and saves my sanity.  I know all about the evils of Wal-Mart, doing business with the most evil and powerful country in the world, China.  I know China doesn't have the same safety regulations as the U.S., hence all the poisonous products they have and still do export out of their country into ours.  But until there is an affordable solution, most Americans, including myself, will shop at Wal-mart and even Target because they provide what we want.  It would be nice if an American company could do the same, provide a one stop-shopping experience with affordable, made in America products.  Don't you agree?

So what does Wal-Mart have to do with snow in Georgia?  Nothing.  I was going on a stream of consciousness.  It was fun.  Now back to work.