A WINTER'S TALE!

At the end of the summer, just as the cooler weather comes to town, you can hear, almost in unison, the comment, "Nice to have some cooler weather".  As winter sets in, and the turbulent meteorological conditions occur, you can hear, almost in unison,"Man, it's cold out there".  Then as the cold snap turns out to be longer than a couple of days, you can hear, almost in unison, "Okay, enough is enough.  Cool is okay for a couple of days, but it's time to start feeling warmer".  It has been cold.  In fact, it has been so cold that my husband has worn shoes for more than two days in a row!  The flip-flops have wondered if they have been retired!  

Of course, 'cold' here is usual bearable elsewhere, and for a girl who was brought up in a country that had four definite seasons, a couple of days of close to, or just below freezing does not a winter constitute!  However, the 'cold snap' has lingered, and the temperature has teetered around freezing most mornings, and whilst we have had a couple of days where it has gone above sixty, the majority have been in the forties, possibly fifties.  "Okay, enough is enough", is like a constant hum of an air conditioner, which has also considered its position to be compromised at this time!

I have coats.  I have boots, hats, scarves, gloves, and a variety of thick jumpers, and jackets.  I am prepared.  

The prolonged lack of warmth has caused an interesting phenomena.  It has finally given me the proof I need that 'hoarding' is a positive quality!  I resolved to have a good 'spring clean' before the spring actually arrived, and not purchase any more 'nick-naks' until I had disposed of others.  Not only has the cold snap given me a reason to delay the inevitable, it has given me an excuse to keep things that I would have, perhaps, forced myself to discard.  Often hearing the new proverb, "If you haven't used it in two years, you will likely not use it again, so you can throw it out", (or words to that effect,) I have now discounted it to be 'null and void'.  Coats and jackets that have not seen the light of day for several years, are now getting a new lease of life.  

Making additional purchases was not part of the plan.  However, the 'Nutcracker' that was on sale in the supermarket, looked so forlorn, and the prospect of spending another year in a dark store cupboard at the back of the shop, sparked a sense of compassion within me, and I had to rescue him from what would be a very sad end!  What if this was his second year!  Reduced to a very reasonable price, I purchased him and put him in 'charge' of my fireplace.  As everyone else appeared to be removing their seasonal decorations, I was giving them a new opportunity!   Standing a little under four feet tall, and guarding the hearth from possible foe, who might happen to fall down the chimney on any other night other than 24th December, it took my husband four days to notice him!  

My plan to 'declutter' had not only failed, but I was now in violation of my own rule!  

Tuesday appeared to be a little warmer, and the weather prognosticators were finally sounding excited.  "Temperatures hitting above freezing overnight for the first time this year", echoed throughout the city.  Austinites ran to their cellars and attics to retrieve the boxes marked "Emergency only" to replace their gloves and socks, with a sense of elation, only to have their dreams shattered when the wind started to howl around four o'clock!  The wind continued to howl, and the short lived 'euphoria' was hoping it would not be dragged into the 'two year' box!  

Cold, and windy, as it was on Wednesday morning, the sun came out and a new wave of enthusiasm rang through the city.  "At last!" came the cry from the crowds.  Calls from locals either began, or ended with "I am so ready for this warmer weather".  I wore a t-shirt at lunchtime, when I went for a walk, and it finally looked as if the big thaw was well and truly taking over.  However, I was still buying up Christmas gifts!  I spotted a rather interesting pack that I thought would suit my son-in-law.  A small mug, with a tiny hip flask attached, and a bottle of 'Amaretto flavoured' syrup.  Once again, this had been reduced to price that prohibited its staying on the shelf, and of it went, with me, to the counter.  The reduction did not appear, and I questioned the cashier, who noticed that the 'offer' expired the previous day.  She called her manager.  "Are you going to put it back into the store room?" I asked, without adding the additional thought of, "into the two year box?"  The manager looked at the item and expressed his desire to rid his store of the product, and overwrote the amount to the one on the ticket.  Christmas was over, and as the sun was shining and the temperature agreeable, there was no need to live in the past!

Cold returned on Thursday, and greetings were not heard.  The usual "hey, how are ya!" (a statement rather than a question in these parts) was not heard.  Instead, heads were down, and arms folded with hands under armpits, as if gloves had refused to make themselves available due to their being discarded rather hastily!  Eyes that were filled with uncertainty glared at me, and 'brrr' sounds emitted from lip that were blue with cold.  "Does no one own a coat?" I asked, somewhat naively, remembering my husband's comments when I unpacked my belongings some thirteen years ago, to wit, "You won't need those in a hurry!", when seeing my array of outwear!  

Samantha and I rode out the rest of the week, and on Saturday found the stores to be somewhat empty.  Although the sun was out, the temperature was down.  It was as if we were in an alternate universe.  Remembering the days in England, when the temperatures reached into the high nineties for a few days, even hitting the century, and the desperation for a breeze, or a reduction in heat, merely due to the unfamiliarity of the humidity and the intensity of extra warmth, we saw the same response but in reverse. The cold, for such an extended period, was alien to those who had not lived in different climes!  

Dana and I drove out into the country side in the afternoon, and whilst the views were spectacular, the ranches that we drove past looked somewhat desolate.  Field after field appeared to be producing nothing, and winter looked as if she would last forever. Although we were several miles south of Austin, the rural depths caused the temperature to dip, and after we left those we were visiting, I was sorry that I had exchanged my thick coat for a lighter jacket, before setting out shortly after one in the afternoon. By six o'clock, we were feeling frozen.  Mud banks that had been formed after the rain, on the dirt roads, had turned into hard blocks and caused the last part of our journey there, and the first of our return, to be quite roller coaster like!  The abundance of large trucks in the vicinity was obvious!  

Temperatures should rise tomorrow, for a while, but we are expecting snow on Tuesday!  I seem to be the only person 'having fun' with this extended 'freeze' as it has allowed me to get on my soap box and say, "I told you so", after years of wondering, "Will I need this again".  

Records, however, have not been broken, and temperatures will rise again.  Normality will resume.  It is a national holiday tomorrow, and I shall not be going into the office.  Instead, I hope to do something rather constructive, although I am not sure it will involve reducing my household clutter.  Samantha and I have planned a day out at the outlet mall.  Strange as it may seem, we have not had the opportunity to look for ourselves over the past several visits, and have decided to indulge.  I am not sure as to whether the usual sale of winter attire will be as prolific, due to the demand still being so strong, but time will tell!  We did manage to purchase all of this year's tree decorations for under a dollar at the weekend, but there is 'seasonal' and 'seasonal' and never the twain shall meet! (Whatever that means!)

I hope all Austinites manage to keep warm, and cheery at the same time.  The cheerfulness has not so much gone as hibernated, but I am sure the chatter and shrillness will return.  I would hate to have to find cause to say it has disappeared, because that would be a very sad subject for .......... another story!