Snowpocalypse II: Don't Blame the Groundhog

Around here, you don't really need a groundhog to tell you that come February 2nd, we're looking at another six weeks of winter. I can't remember the last time that fluffy rat didn't see his shadow. Perhaps if it weren't for the bright lights and cameras shining all around him every brisk February morning in Punxsutawney, PA, we might have a chance to get a taste of spring just a tad earlier. But alas, every year, Phil crawls out of his hole, looks around at the flashbulbs and video equipment, tosses his head aside and mutters, "okay there it is folks, can I go back to bed now?"

Like the slaves to pop culture tradition that we are, we squelch the fleeting desires that we had for packing up the parkas and snowpants a little early. Dashed are our hopes of kite flying in mid-February; of picnicking in the park on a March morning. And we prepare. We prepare to fulfill destiny- the destiny that we have laid out for ourselves by choosing to live here, in the beautiful northeastern United States. The destiny that mother nature, father time, and old man winter have been handing down to us for years, the one that no such furry rodent can take away from us. It is February, and there will be winter. And winter there is. As we buckle down and prepare for what is being broadcast as a "monster storm", "a storm with epic snowfall amounts", we curse the groundhog, and pull out the snowpants and mittens for another stretch of snow days. But let us not blame poor Phil. Phil is merely a patsy. A scapegoat designed to make us feel a little better about the winter doldrums, and perhaps add a little entertainment to the February blahs.

Here in southern New Jersey, we are preparing for another 12-18 inches of snow tonight. Yes, it is cold. Yes, it is slippery. Yes, it is annoying. In fact, for many, it's a downright pain in the you-know-what. Stir crazy children. The mad dash to the market to stock up on all of those staples that you will need for the exactly 24 hours you will likely be immobilized. (What IS it with the bread, eggs, and milk anyway- does everyone make French toast when it snows?) But, we have to look on the bright side of the winter weather. We have to focus on the breathtakingly beautiful serenity that a good snowstorm brings- at least until it becomes a black, slushy, mess. We have to be thankful for the extra cuddle time, movie time, and family time that we might not be otherwise afforded. We need to remember that there are people in the country and around the world who have never seen, first-hand, the beauty of freshly fallen snow. And although I may be biting my tongue and rethinking my words about 48 hours from now, for now I am reveling in the anticipation of snowpocalypse 2, 2010.

Enjoy the snow. Enjoy your families. Enjoy hot chocolate. And most importantly, don't blame the groundhog.

This is an original Philly Moms Blog Post.