Snow Days in the South

Having lived in South Carolina for over three and a half years now, I am more than aware that the south handles snow and ice differently than the north.  This is primarily due to the low-frequency of such weather conditions, an all around lack of plows, and just a general obliviousness of hat to do once the white stuff starts falling.  I’m not saying this is a bad thing, but having spent the first 23 years of my life in New England (predominantly Vermont and New Hampshire) this is quite a contrast.

We’ve had two good snowfalls this year in Greenville, SC.  The fist was on Christmas day, and was the first snowfall on Christmas here since 1963, which amazes me.  The second big one was this past Monday (Jan. 10th) and this was the biggest snowfall in the city since 1988, almost a whole eight inches (which is actually pretty impressive and has covered the ground for four days thus far).

The interesting thing about this most recent snowfall is just how shut down things have been.  I have had work (at the public library system) shut down or delayed one or two days a year since I moved down here, but this time we had a full three days of closing and a delayed opening today (Thursday Jan. 13th).  I didn’t get back out on the road until yesterday afternoon.

And here is the kicker.  As a kid I loved snow days because it meant that instead of having to sit in a classroom I got to play in the snow and drink hot chocolate and just chill out.  I’d have gladly taken multiple weeks worth of snow days if allowed.  But now as an adult I am a little less enamored by them.  One day is kind of nice a novelty that allows for some additional sleeping in and relaxation.  Two days are okay but starting to get a bit strenuous.  Three days however is absolutely frustrating.  By yesterday I was feeling so stir crazy I could hardly stand it.  It probably doesn’t help that I have a lot of work that I need to be getting some progress on, but all around I just want a change of scene.  Ah adulthood, you are indeed a perplexing thing.

Anyway, I get to head back to work in a little less than an hour now, having a grand total of one and a half days of work this week (plus another long weekend for Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Monday).  Time to get stuff done.  And here’s hoping this is all the snow we see in Greenville this winter.

~ by Nathaniel on January 13, 2011.