I want to post this email from Barb about our BLIZZARD OF 2003 experience.. because I don't have time today to write it up:

> I thought the snow was beautiful! It's all a matter of having enough
> warm things to wear. Before the trip I bought long underwear (two pair
> from Macy's) and leather gloves. I sort of thought, well I guess I
> should take some sort of hat, too. (and then realized later I would have
> died without one) So after that, it was just a question of bundling up
> and then unbundling down as we went in and out of buildings,
> restaurants, etc.
>
> The coldest day was Sunday--Leah writes 8 degrees but it could have been
> 2 with windchill. Awful day although we did fun things. Spent the
> morning outdoors (for maybe 15 minutes? seemed like eternity) at an
> antique market/flea market. Then went into a big gallery store that was
> way warmer and therefore more fun. I couldn't understand how any of the
> people selling stuff in the street could stand it. But I did see that
> there exists a large fashion universe of warm weather clothing. Very
> stylish mask things that cover the nose and mouth with little air holes,
> fancy little ear muffs that cover the ear, all sorts of hats, caps,
> capes, hoods, snoods...yes, if one were to make a committment to life in
> cold weather, you could sure look good doing it.
>
> I had my french baret and the scarf from our trip to London/Paris in
> 1999. I was also wearing my mother's coat although we had thrown out the
> warm lining years ago (why do we need this? we asked in California weather.)
>
> All I could think of in terms of cold was how it was when you, Michael,
> Leah and I went to Lake Tahoe for Thanksgiving. It didn't snow then,
> just the bitter cold and the blanket of white.
>
> Well, we had the bitter cold on Sunday, as I mentioned and we just hid
> by going to a movie. We also hid by eating chocoloate cake at a cafe in
> the movie theater. That was certainly nice.
>
> By Sunday evening, when we journeyed out to Little Italy, the white
> blizzard started. It was exciting! Cars couldn't move, the city soon was
> covered. I've never seen New York as beautiful. Best of all...it was
> WARMER!!! So I embraced the whole experience as an improvement!!!
>
> I also had hiking boots on so I felt pretty secure crunching down in
> what was pretty dry snow powder.
>
> The most goregous day was Monday...it was still snowing...only emergency
> vehicles and few cars tried to brave the streets. We were able to walk
> down the middle of Third Avenue without fear...sidewalks heaping with
> snow, making our way throuh tunnels of snowbanks cut into the
> intersections when we crossed the street...it was snowing but there was
> no pain about the cold...much more pleasant than rain...the silver and
> white stone of New yOrk buildings were especially awesome in the
> whiteness of snow. Got to Central Park where all the stark outlines of
> leafless trees were softened by snow...felt I was in New Hampshire or
> something. Not NYC...families of all kinds coming out with sleds,
> toboggans, cardboard, fun things. Dogs in little foot booties, people
> who probably did ski in New Hamphsire must have rummaged through their
> closets and gotten all their ski gear out. Saw people cross country
> skiing across Central Park and in Times Square.
>
> God, it was wonderful!! A highlight of the year that will be hard to beat.
>
> My skin did get awful dry though, and everytime I touched Leah I gave
> her a static electricity shock. But that seems a very small price to pay
> for such exceptional winter wonderland.
>
> As to the real question--could I do this for a whole season, not just a week?????
>
> Weeeeellllll, I feel like I COULD, but I sure did love coming back to
> warm, green, sunny California where I can sit at the laptop as I'm doing
> right now in short sleeves with the door open to the world.
>

This entry was posted on Monday, February 24, 2003 at 9:29 AM. You can skip to the end and leave a response.