Did someone say global warming?

Those of us who have lived through this last week are not too concerned right now about global warming. It's funny how our memories get mixed when we think back to former cold spells and dry spells. Each generation has its own version of the most terrible winter or summer, but when we are in the middle of an unusual cold snap we tend to think back to all those earlier freezes.

Two of our children live in Texas. Of course they were reared in Missouri and learned to drive on our snow or ice covered roads, and had fun with sleds, ice skates on ponds and other winter fun. They tell us stories about their Texas neighbors reaching the panic stage at temperatures just at the freezing point. Since our children and grandchildren have spent each Christmas here in Vernon and Bates counties they haven't forgotten the "joys" of our weather. When they return to Texas they often hear horror stories about the terrible cold in Dallas or even Austin.

Some of the worse driving Lester and I have ever done in the winter (except for my Dec. 1, drive on I-44 this last December) was in Oklahoma. We were going to Texas to visit our kids and I also had a responsibility with the United Methodist Women to chair a planning meeting, so we went ahead even though it was forecast to have a little snow. The roads in Oklahoma seem to never get snowy. Instead they get icy.

We would drive carefully down U.S. 69 and be passed by the big semi trucks whose drivers were talking to each other on their CB radios. At that time we also had a CB in our car to help us communicate with each other when we were traveling in two different vehicles. Obviously this was before cell phones.

The truckers would comment that Oklahoma always forgets to buy any salt shakers. Then they would console each other that when they get to Missouri it will be much better. Of course that made us very proud, but didn't ease the grip on the steering wheel as we continued our drive.

Our son and his family in Plano were very relieved when we arrived because even their city was iced over and they didn't really think the "old folks" who weren't all that old at that time, would even attempt to come.

I explained the urgency for me to be there because of my responsibility with UMW and then Mark said that a lady had called leaving a number for me to call if we did arrive. She had tried to get us before we left Missouri but missed us.

You can guess what the call was. The president had canceled the meeting! Those who were flying in couldn't come because the planes couldn't land in Dallas. We were the only ones who were driving in.

Well, I had a little longer time to visit with our family but the weather stayed bad the whole time we were with them. When we started home, still driving on ice, we heaved a sigh of relief when we got back to Missouri.

Sure enough the roads were much better here, and even Highway 43 was cleared off and dry.

There must be a moral here somewhere. Maybe when you are middle age plus you need to stay home? Or maybe we should all celebrate the fact that we live in Missouri and help the kids enjoy their two unexpected snow days while we appreciate our electricity, which did not go off like it did for folks who live south of I-44.