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Snowflakes started falling here in Atlanta yesterday around 5pm as I was driving to the gym. I immediately heard the sounds of a kid squealing with delight, only to realize that the squealer was actually me!
I was so excited and delighted to see the snow. People who only think of Atlanta as a hot, sweltering pit of dripping summertime humidity are surprised to find out that can also snow here. Happens only once every few years. But it does happen. In fact, between California, Arizona and here, this is the coldest place I've ever lived!
I was so giddy to see the snow that when I got to the gym, I insisted we go OUTSIDE and do the leg workout by lunging uphill through the flurry.
That's when I had my friend and trainer, Kathy, snap this picture with my phone. The snowflakes show up against my dark hair, but hadn't really
started sticking to the ground yet.
We went back inside after a few sets of lunges. This was much to Kathy's relief. She's from Ohio and this snow stuff is hardly novel to her. The local news was blaring on the TV. "Live Team 2 Coverage!" You'd think the Martians were landing in Atlanta instead of snowflakes.
I made it home a couple hours later. There was the workout and the traffic. I'm not sure which one was more challenging, as snow tends to make Atlanta come to standstill. It was enough time for the white stuff to start sticking to the ground. I stepped in the house, put on a parka and whistled for Darla Dog.
My southern born and bred pound dog must've been a Siberian Husky in another life because she absolutely loves the cold. If she could talk people words, I believe she would tell you the few times she's been in snow in her 7 dog years have been the happiest of her life.
We trotted over to the local golf course which was empty except for a giant, untouched blanket of white. Untouched until we go there. We ran around, chasing balls making paw and footprints.
We made it back to the house cold and wet, but giddy. There was a message from my little sister in New York City. "I hear it's snowing in Atlanta!" she said. So I called her back while sending her these pictures I shot on my phone. I was so excited until I heard her reaction.
"Mysister, (this is what we call each other) there are 4 snowflakes in your hair," she said, clearly underwhelmed.
"Yeah, but the camera phone didn't pick up all the flurries swirling around. Besides," I added, "it hadn't started to stick yet. Check out the one of Darla sitting on the snowy grass!"
Again, I heard laughs. This time, not mine. "Mysister," I asked, "Are you laughing at me?"
"Yes," she admitted through her giggles, "But, really, laughing with love," she tried to clarify. Clearly, for someone who has now lived in New York for more than seven years, this snow was not a big deal.
It's actually no accident that I live in a usually warm climate. I love heat. Desert heat, humid heat, spicy food, hot blow dryers, electric blankets, steaming hot showers. Love it all. To me, heat feels like a big hug, while cold tends to hurt. My general philosophy is snow is something you visit, like a ski resort or a weekend trip to New York at the holidays. Well, Wednesday, snow came to visit Atlanta. I'm so glad it did.
By this morning it was almost all gone. There are a couple slushy piles out on the deck. A little accumulation in the crevices of trees. The ground is damp and icy. We called off this morning's run deciding it was too dangerous. The skies are gray. It's kind of like Atlanta is having a snow hangover. Bummer. But for a few hours last night, sure was one heck of a snow party!
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