If I Should Ever Miss The Snow

Snow is gently falling on my blog, but there is no snow falling here in Phoenix Arizona!  I remember growing up in Northern New Jersey and all the snowfalls and ice storms that would close the schools.  We loved those days and would be outside sledding and making snowmen and just enjoying the day off from school.  But that changed once I was older and had to drive to work on snowy, icy roads.  If the snow would begin falling in the morning, I would watch it through the windows and worry all day about getting home later and how long it would take with all the traffic.

The final straw was the time I drove home from an event during the early afternoon in a snow storm.  The highway was very slippery and I went into a skid, then a spin, and then crossed the road several times hitting the guard rails on each side of the road.  When I finally came to a stop, I was amazed that I didn’t hit another car!  I continued driving with my knees shaking, heading uphill to my home.  As I turned onto the street right before mine, my wheels were spinning and would not make it up the incline. I had to back down and try several times hitting the accelerator and then making a swing left onto my street finally and into my driveway.  I was shaking all over, in disbelief that I was safely home.  My car was pretty dented from hitting those guardrails but I was not dented at all.  I truly believe my angels protected me that day!

I resolved that day to move to a warmer climate and be done with driving in snow forever.  The following summer I was able to take a trip to Arizona to visit my brother.  I spent a week here and fell in love with it, even in the heat!  The mountains totally surround the Phoenix valley and I had a feeling of protection. I made the decision that I must move here and went back home knowing that I would live here somehow.  

The following year after being divorced for several years, I happened to meet a gentleman at a dance who had gone to Arizona State University and now lived in New Jersey, but always had the desire to go back to the Phoenix area to live. As fate would have it, two years later we were married.  We bought a motor home and moved cross country together.  Our combined five kids visit us and we visit them and our grandchildren in New Jersey and Pennsylvania every year.  One of them drove our car west and moved to San Diego for a few years. He then moved to beautiful Sedona where he has lived happily now for over 20 years. He was happy to leave the cold weather behind too!

We have now lived in Arizona 31 years and the only time we see snow anymore is on television or on Christmas cards and here on my Blog page!  I had my fill of it and can go north to Flagstaff anytime if I should want to see it.

Merry Christmas!                  

Happy New Year!

Happy Holidays!