Views from the Hot Seat...: A Tribute: Charlie Huggins

Views from the Hot Seat...: A Tribute: Charlie Huggins: Saying thanks is something we typically reserve for Thanksgiving Day--noble but oftentimes quite scripted.  Writing this blog, however, allo...

Snow and the Good Old Days

Have you had enough winter yet?

If your family is anything like mine, you may have had your fill of Old Man Winter.  It seems that he continuously has wrecked havoc on our already too busy lives, causing us to deal with delays, obstacles, and cancellations.  

From two hour delays, to cancellations, to cabin fever and the flu bug, as fathers and families we have faced all types of conditions.  With this, the question that comes to mind, is, "How do we deal with all of this?  Do we make these times memorable?, or do we allow these times to consume us with bitterness and frustration?  We must always keep in mind the quote of Sir Isaac Newton,  “For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.”   We obviously cannot control the uncontrollables, such as the weather, because I would think that if we could, for many of us, it would be as the Joe Nichols song states, Sunny and 75.  But since we have winter we might as well enjoy it.

With the snow piling up, along with a crunchy topping of ice, strong winds and bitter cold many were forced to spend their time in the great indoors.  For the better part of winter, it was too cold to enjoy the mountainous snow. However, as a family, we were able to enjoy enough days doing what I just loved to do as a kid growing up; building forts, snowmen, making snow angels and most importantly, sled riding.

I have shared with my daughters, that this may be the first time that they have seen real snow. All of us that grew up in the 1970’s now what I mean.  I remember my first experience with a blizzard, and being out of school what seemed to be like an entire month.  I grew up in a neighborhood with two key sled riding hills.  Fortunately for me, one of these were located right next to my home, Cerana Hill.  

These were the days, of layering up, putting the bread sacks over your feet in hopes of keeping your feet dry and warm inside the hand-me-down boots.  These were the days of  layering up with anything that you could find to keep yourself as warm and dry as possible.  Yes kids, there were times prior to dri-fit and fleece wear that now allow you to stay warm and dry within the same form fitting apparel.  

Secondly, there was Stocker Hill.  This hill was where the toboggans and inner tubes would fly down the hill from the Moravian Star on top to an erected monument at the bottom.  When you mounted your sleigh atop of Stocker Hill, it had the look of a Olympic ski jump.  This hill was the “major leagues” of sledding.  

One of the special memories I have of visiting the south end of the town was that parents were always involved in the snow day games.  There was nothing better than taking a toboggan sled with 4 or more people or stacking as many people as you could on a truck tire inner tube that my dad provided from work to tackle the hills.  We grew up resourceful,  using anything from washer and dryer lids to homemade runners sleds that would  have made the Little Rascals Our Gang Clubhouse proud.  Vivid memories, well captured in pictures, from raging fires to help keep kids warm, to actually sledding the trails, these good old days, were not just about kids. These days were about fathers, families and communities playing together.  My thoughts;  my kids have to experience this!

Fast forward to the winter of 2014.  Being in the role of the adult, some of the neighbors and I decided to attack the hills that now surround our homes with our kids.  On the days we were able to hit the “slopes”, they were filled with crashes, laughter and fatigue.  I found that father time may be catching up with me a bit.  There still may be nothing like riding a sled and hearing the giggles, the  “whoa’s”, and the “look out’s!” as we barreled down the hills.  There is nothing like a well worn path to build the speed and go further each trip down.  But unfortunately, this is also when I was reminded to the fact that it is a lot more fun going down the hill then coming up.   

Dragging a sleigh full of kids back up the hill is no longer an easy task, as it once seemed.  I found myself well tired out prior to the kids almost instantly.  It made me think back to the one dad who was always waiting at the top of the hill.   You know the description, he was the one that was the “professional fire builder”.  He was the dad that just had to stay close to the fire to as he described, “to add logs to the fire”.  As I dropped to my knees and laid in the snow with my legs heavy and lungs burning, I had to ask myself, had I become that guy?  I did mention that as kids, my generation was resourceful right! What a joyous sight it is to see my neighbor come barreling down the hill in his golf cart to save the day.  

As we begin to see the settle hints of spring, I truly hope you had the opportunity to make memories while enjoying your delays and cancellations in your resourceful ways.

Monthly Challenge:

Think back to your childhood and share your winter tales of your resourcefulness.  If you have the opportunity to provide pictures to your tales, make sure to get out the boxes, dust off the lids and share your memories of the snow and good old days with your children.

Monthly Quote:

“If you wait for perfect conditions, you will never get anything done.” - Ecclesiastes 11:4