"It's Snowing In Camden..."

Guten morgen from snowy Munich. I have lots of blog updating to do but first, I need to say something. Having grown up in Tennessee and having spent seven years on the Gulf Coast, I have an understandably strained relationship with all forms of winter precipitation. Tennessee generally gets very little snowfall but when even the *hint* of potential flurries (muchless accumulation) leaves the Meteorologist's mouth, mass hysteria sets in. In fact, I would wager that the average Tennessean does more to prepare for an inch of snow than I ever did in preparation for a hurricane. Growing up, I can remember grocery stores being literally attacked and stripped of any milk, bread, and egg products. Meanwhile, all of us kids waited anxiously for our white, fluffy ticket to freedom. If ice or snow accumulated, even on the millimeter scale, school was usually called off in the name of "compromised bus safety". Because most weather systems moved in over nearby Camden, TN, just before reaching us, the phrase, "It's snowing in Camden" was enough to start a Junior High-scale riot with all sorts of speculation about when and for how long we'd be out of school. In hindsight, it's just plain hilarious to me, especially since Scott grew up in the northeast and has a much more reasonable attitude toward winter weather. Also because, here in Munich, six inches of snowfall overnight has zero effect on the efficiency of the city or the mood of its people. It is still very much 'business as usual'. Meanwhile, I'm ready to sprint through the streets and hug every person I see. I have seriously reverted back to the six year old version of myself.


All of this came to light this past Friday when Munich got its first true snowfall of the season. While we were both excited to see snow for the first time in a long time, to say that I was like a kid on Christmas morning would be a severe understatement. I was delerious when I opened the door to let the dog out that morning and stepped into a blanket of snow on the patio. I could not be contained and spent an entire workday staring out my office window watching it snow. We got a little break in the flurries on Saturday but the weather forecast indicated it would again start snowing yesterday (Sunday) evening. Thus, as I was cooking dinner last night, the phrase "It's snowing in Camden" suddenly popped into my head. I had a little laugh to myself and went about the evening. Sure enough, though, we woke up to about 6 inches this morning. Despite knowing that a little snowfall is not going to change the fact that I have got to be at work, the inner Tennessean in me can't help but surface. I'll let you all know when the new wears off but for now, I am so excited!!