First Snowfall

Men come in handy for a lot of different reasons, but with winter fast approaching this part of the world (SE Michigan) and me not being a lover of said season, it is the one time of the year when wishing for and even wanting a man around the house grows strong(er).

Today's insignificant snowfall (4-6" total) is a reminder of things to come, like having to sweep the white stuff off the car and shovel the porch, the driveway, and the sidewalk, but also to be reminded that if there was a man in my life, I wouldn't have to do any of those things.

Then again, being a once-bitten, twice shy kind of gal, I remember all of the times when I had to do the shoveling, car sweeping, and freezing my butt off in sub-zero temps while I was married, so the want of a man isn't quite so strong most any time of the year.

Having just returned indoors after removing upwards of a FOOT of snow off the car, the porch, and the driveway (screw the sidewalk -- it'll be Sunday tomorrow, so no street action, and the mailman prefers to walk across everyone's lawn instead of using the sidewalk to deliver the mail anyway) -- the casualty count slowly rises.

Charlie Horse behind my left kneecap (ouch!) and now my left bicep is giving me a hard time.

Not being too much of a nay-sayer, I still cling to the hopeful notion that the weather prognosticators are correct in assuming that my fair city will experience a mild, dry winter. It IS still fall until December 20th after all, and the prediction for this El Niño winter is for above-average temps and below-average precipitation, so there is still hope that I won't have to be outside in the driving snow and freezing temps pushing a shovel and car whisk too often.

My overall lack of muscle tone, at least, will be grateful.

Yes, it's a pretty sight to see . . . just not to drive in, be outside for too long in, or have to work at to keep off most surfaces. Those things take all of the fun out of winter/snow for me.

There is lightning to accompany the snowfall, too, which makes for an extra-special treat on a first snow of the season . . . snow.

We also had a split-second power outage when a transformer blew, but no black-out . . . yet.

Book boyfriends are better the rest of the year. Like the wisdom of a grandmother who will say she adores her grandchildren because they don't stay with her forever, book boyfriends are men we can fall in and out of love with at whim and not hurt their feelings.

We are free to pick and choose our book boyfriends and not feel the least bit shallow about wanting or expecting certain things from them: looks, muscle tone, hair length/color, eyes, and personality.

Real men, not so much. You get what you get and either like it or don't, and that is the difference between being with someone or being alone.

Book boyfriends won't argue, be obstinate, or nit-pick the littlest, stupid things, and we're pretty certain that if we asked them to do something, that they would do it without question or promise of a later date and time, when it is more convenient for them.

Like going outside in the cold and shoveling the snow.

Yet, for that, we need a real man (or a better, more fit body), and I fall into the latter category of things there.

So, while I bemoan my lonely, single-life fate this winter, I leave you with a pretty picture of the first snowfall, 2015, and a lovely tune titled Snowfall.