There’s a saying, “If you don’t like the weather wait five minutes.” Or ten minutes, or something like that. It’s practically said everywhere. And it is said in Ohio.
People told us we moved to Columbus at a bad time of year because of the severe winters. It’s true, the last time I wore tights was in 1987. So, one of the first things we did when we got here was to buy winter clothes. All totaled, the thermal underwear, hats, boots, and coat cost almost $870!!! Yikes!!! But I wanted to look cute, so….
My winter coat
The winter was harsh. Meteorologists talked about the polar vortex. Excuse me? The polar what now? Simply put, a polar vortex happens when the normally contained cold air zipping around the North pole weakens and dips southward, causing temperatures to plunge below zero for extended periods. The last polar vortex was in 2014 with -40-degree wind chills.
The polar whaaat?
This year, the coldest day in Columbus was on January 21, with a low of -3 degrees. Let’s see, I checked my schedule, and yep, I stayed indoors that day.
When we first moved here, I was impressed with the conditions of the roads. But after the freeze-thaw cycles wreaked havoc on the streets, and significant potholes popped up everywhere, I subdued my superpower of being able to hit every pothole on the road. Ohio cured me!
We also got a fair amount of snow, so it was tricky maneuvering through the streets, and even trickier parking.
What would you do to get a close parking spot?
There’s another saying, “Three snowfalls after the forsythia bloom.” Well, the forsythia has bloomed, but I think this year it’s not going to happen. Or I’ll just wait five minutes and see.