Chill

It's cold outside and people are kinda wound up 'round here. Cabin fever? Maybe. There are so many grouches it's hard not to be one too. I don't know why. We got snow and wind and it's cold. Big deal. In Wyoming people pretty much continue with their daily lives like nothing is different. My family in Pittsburgh gets some nasty cold weather and the whole city practically shuts down. Growing up there that's what I thought always happened. Snow= Bad roads= cancelled school. Ice= bad roads= no bus system. Then I move to Wyoming and need 4 wheel drive to get around, but business is as usual. -16 degrees? No problem! 50 mph winds? Heck! Bring it on! We're tough enough to take it on--- we're in Wyoming! The Cowboy state! Yippee!


But seriously, I've learned a lot about being out west in the winter. People act a different way when it comes to bad weather out here. "Plowing" doesn't help much. The plows still leave an inch of compacted snow on the street that tires slide on. Shoveling sidewalks? Some people do it, others have the philosophy of "Well, it will just blow away in a few days anyway. Why bother?" which by the time that happens you have frozen footsteps on that walkway where people tread. Those spots become ice. How about laying salt down on the road? Nope. Not a chance. We may get some sinders, but that's if we're lucky. It doesn't help all that much anyway if we do.

The other day I was fascinated by those people who didn't let their cars warm up after sitting in a parking lot all day. I actually started my truck, then went back into my work building and waited a few minutes. With my luck, the director of my work came in and asked who left their truck running. I said it was me, thinking something may have happened. He was appalled that I would leave my car unattended out there. In my defense, I was right by the door, where security cameras are that I could see my truck. I didn't think much of it. The parking lot is a private lot. My director moved to here from a big city, like me, but still had those "city standards"--- some things that people in Wyoming don't even consider. Lock your car? Pish Posh. Lock your house? You kidding?!

So perhaps a little bit of Wyoming weather behavior is rubbing off on me if I trusted that my running truck not be stolen. But I am not one of those people who leaves their car on while in the Walmart! I lock my truck. I lock the doors to my house. I hold my purse close to my body and always look under my car to make sure there are no creepy people under there. I hold my keys as a weapon, and I don't park in dark places or walk in dark places unattended. It may be the city girl in me, but I don't mind. I'd rather be safe then sorry.

But back on the weather here. The wind is insane. It doesn't stop for months. Most of the time I can sleep through it- hearing the wind outside my window. But some days it's a nightmare. I don't know how the pioneers did it. Well, I can figure: Wyoming wasn't a place pioneers stayed. They passed through it to get to better lands. So they didn't stay here long. Some Native Americans, however, considered this place home. I'm fascinated by the way they survived in this "desolate wasteland" (as my mother once called it). They were the ultimate survivors.

I have a new found respect for the west by living out here through 4 winters. I'm sure I'll be learning a lot more about my adopted state's crazy weather patterns and mother nature's tricks played on us 'round here. No wonder everyone's grouchy!