"Wussified"

Somehow knowing that I'll be leaving the East Coast and spending the rest of my winters (at least indefinitely) in a much warmer climate, I've become "wuss-ified." In case you were wondering, the official definition of this word is:

WUSSIFY
Main Entry: wuss - ee - fye (v.)
Pronunciation: WUSS - i - fie
Function: transitive verb
Inflected form(s): -fied; -fy-ing
1. to make into a wuss
2. to erradicate any trace of courage, boldness, strength, or stamina

This lastest snow storm (which was not much snow by New England terms) was somehow a royal pain in my behind. I think I would much rather prefer two feet of the fluffy white stuff to the 5 inch thick continental glacier on our driveway and front walkway. The ice is beyond chipping away, much less shoveling away with a mere shovel. I've tried every tool in the gardening shed (well, if we HAD a gardening shed) including the curved claw of a hammer.

The cold gets to me more, the ice annoys the heck out of me, and I've experienced increased dread over taking the kids out in the slippery slope of a driveway to our igloo-on-wheels (a.k.a. the family mini-van). Am I just getting old and less able to function in extreme temperatures? or is it the mindset of anticipating the warm LA sunshine? or perhaps something else?!

Needless to say, I've felt convicted to be more thankful and appreciative of living life in the now. So my last blog was my Top 10 list of reasons why I won't miss living in NE. Perhaps I need to cherish these distinct moments of living in Northeast U.S.A.

Well, here is my lame--but genuine--attempt to appreciating life here in NE while still living in NE.

I'm thankful for . . .

- the stuck-on ice on the driveway, on the cars, on the front door steps, and every other square inch that is exposed to the outdoor elements because it means that I have been blessed with a house with a driveway and a car to park on the driveway

- the fact that 'Shroom missed a day of school not because of a snow day but because I couldn't get the car out of the frozen driveway. It means that in addition to the aforementioned blessings, 'Shroom is getting an education and making friends (at least on days I can drive him to school)

- my kids who complain about the cold and not wanting to go outside because it means that I have been given two wonderful kids who know what they like and don't like

- the extreme cold temperatures that freezes my legs in my jeans and my freshly-washed hair because it means that my body is still healthy to feel the cold and that I am privileged enough to take a shower and wash my hair whenever I want

- Home Depot running out of rock salt and all other ice-melt solutions because it meant that I could spend an hour a day slamming the ice chopper and getting a great workout--all without having to pay hefty membership fees at a local gym

Okay, I'm beginning to feel a lot better about the ice. Yeah, it's all in the attitude. Trust me, I would know a thing or two about attitude!