I jumped right out of the second story window.....

and landed in the snow about 4 feet below my bedroom window. That was the winter of 1978 and the next to last one I spent at home in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. We had a record amount of snow that year and it was half way up the side of the house by Christmas. Being a 16 year old with raging hormones and a girlfriend there was not a house built strong enough to keep me in on Christmas eve. Combined with the fact that I had already embarked on a good drinking career I'm not sure my parents were trying that hard to keep me home. I probably could have walked out the front door and they would have thrown gas money at me.
The reason this memory crept into my mind is an upcoming trip back to the U.P. at Christmas time for the first time in 31 years. With my wife who is born and raised in Georgia (USA not Russia) and my two sons and a step daughter and step son. All who are true southerners or Texans. (There is a difference between the two which could fill another blog post entirely) Part of the reason for this journey of insanity is to let the kids and Scarlett (Georgia wife) see where I grew up. Let them meet the absolute great people that I was privileged enough to spend my childhood with. Experience a different part of the country, different weather and different accents eh. Play in the snow building snowmen and sledding and maybe even ice skating.
Something tells me that after 5 days of living the life that I grew up living they will understand gratitude. Because it's really, really cold outside and and you walk everywhere. No PlayStation's this trip. Guitar hero? Build a guitar out of snow and play to your hearts content kids. Do you all want to go to the Mall? Great it's 100 miles away in a blizzard so dress warm.
You all want to see a movie? Perfect. Only 10 miles away in the same blizzard. Go outside and play. No, that's not frostbite. Frostbite turns black, that's just a navy blue. Were you wearing two pairs of socks? (This was always a fall back question from my mom during frostbite discussions)
Scarlett and I will be standing at the window drinking hot chocolate and saying how cold it looks, like in that commercial. And I will not feel guilty. I have done my time in the snowbanks. I have shoveled until my shoulders ached. I have plugged in my car at night. I have actually had my eyelids freeze shut while walking home from a swim team practice. You think water boarding scares me? Ha! Is it frozen water? No, then bring it on. As long as I don't have to stand where it hurts to take a deep breath I am all good.
Thomas Wolfe said you can never go home again. I will prove him wrong in 10 short days. I will be going home again and bringing my whole family with me. What Mr. Wolfe missed in his writings is the obvious question if home is the U.P.. If it's the middle of winter, "Why would you want to go home again?"

Till next.......