On the Mark
by Dorothy Markulis, Reporter;
Ah, Ohio. You've got to be a masochist to live here.
My husband and I must be nuts; we planned a month-long vacation in Florida for February and after three weeks we got homesick.
We came home a week early, just in time to get pummeled by the season's biggest snowstorm.
Think Florida. Sunny days, clear blue skies, healthy people.
Think Ohio. Snow and sleet, gray skies, colds and flu.
The verdict is in: we're crazy.
I know my poor husband was rethinking our decision to come home early as he worked the first weekend we were home shoveling out the driveway -- repeatedly.
But come on, now; sun and blue skies all the time is boring.
We Ohioans love variety. Ohio people are made from sturdy stock. We are used to frequent weather changes. We crave them.
You know the old saying: "If you don't like Ohio weather, just wait a minute."
We Ohioans enjoy the daily challenge of fickle weather systems. Otherwise, why would we stay?
Where else can you enjoy a beautiful snowfall accompanied by thunder and lightning? When I heard the thunder, I thought a snowplow had struck our house. Then the weatherman confirmed we had indeed experienced that weather anomaly.
Don't envy those people in Florida. The same old summer, all year-long -- no spring, no fall, no winter. We hardy Ohioans should pity them.
Think how they must miss sipping hot chocolate by a roaring fire, or watching streets and yards become winter wonderlands in a snowstorm. No snow angels for them!
And soon, we Ohioans will be rewarded for our adventurous spirits -- the gift of spring.
E-mail: dmarkulis@recordpub.com
Phone: 330-688-0088 ext. 3143