Weather or Not?

Winter in Alabama is an interesting thing since I am from the north, even though I now live in the south. I am very well used to the snow, the cold, the ice, and all that goes with it. And I miss it some days...sort of...ok, maybe not much but just a teen bit some days...I give myself away as a northerner all the time down here by my way of talking (although I don't think I have an accent!) and the way I dress in winter- I wear a sweater while everyone else is wearing a parka with gloves!

Now that I have moved to Alabama with my hubby, it is a totally different kind of weather- much warmer temps and if it snows down here,it does well to come down for one day and in 24 hours that 6 inches is already melted away as if it was never there! Every time there is even the slightest hint that it may snow even the teeniest bit, it is a most interesting event that wreaks havoc with the residents who have lived their whole lives down here. Just about everything, and I do mean everything, closes down when snow is even a remote possibility! And woe to you if you need milk or bread, you will be out of luck if you wait to see if the snow actually comes at all.

Our first winter down here -which was just two years ago- it snowed about 6 inches in just a couple of hours and in that time of us driving around the small town we live in, we counted over 21 cars that were slid into ditches . Being used to northern winters, it was nothing for me to drive in a blizzard to get groceries and not think twice about it- but I think if it were to happen down here (which I could never se a blizzard happening, I would be less likely to do so since the area around here is quite hill ridden and I am more used to driving in winter weather where the roads are much more level.

I guess all this came to mind today because the temperature outside is unusually cold for down here, and I even saw a few flakes of snow fall-made me glad that I had already gotten my regular groceries a day or two ago because I am sure the stores are full right now . I think a pot of chili is in order today, and later on a sit down book reading session with a cup of hot green tea and honey! What do you do when it is cold outside?