Redheaded Rambler 1, Snow 0.

I win. Snowing like the dickens (why the dickens? Is it Dickensian in its nature? I never understood this...) here in the city of Chicago. A very pretty, heavy wet snow, falling somewhere in the range of 2 inches an hour. It's ridiculously beautiful when staring out the window. It's ridiculously treacherous when trying to navigate in it. Unless you're me, the renegade in the Galapagos Green Honda Civic. Then I win.

I got up this morning, watched the intrepid weather reporters on TV braving the elements in their fashionable fake fur parkas, trying to submit coherent, articulate news reports while the snow is swirling around their faces and sticking to the camera lenses. It's a joy to work indoors, a fact for which I am thankful many days of the year, as I am fond of nice, temperate climates (though it is hard to go sledding indoors). Anyways, so I curled up under a blanket on my couch at 5:30 a.m. and watched the weather reports. Then I got up, got ready, put on my new snowboots (yay!), and tromped outside. I discovered a little secret about snowboots. Life is much better when your toes are warm and dry. I was clearing the snow off my car this morning at 6:00 a.m. and humming "Winter Wonderland" as I was doing so. Then I climbed in my toasty warm car, maneuvered my way slowly through the residential snowy streets of Chicago, and got on my way. I didn't exceed 45 mph my entire trip to work. But I was on time, baby. No snow will deter the Redheaded Rambler (who was actually praying for a snow day to wrap Christmas presents!), or the school children of Chicago, who had to go to school today despite a forecasted 6-12 inches. :) Those suburban kids are wusses, all of their schools cancelled classes! Thanks to my trusty green Honda, and the faithfulness and protection of God, I made it, safe and sound, and more impressively, on time, to work.

To those of you less fortunate in their Chicago commute (Scott got stranded for a very long period of time in Skokie waiting for a bus on the unplowed roads), I am terribly sorry. Also, to those of you not in winter climates, my condolences. It is only fitting on this, the first day of December, that there should be snow, and lots of it. You're totally missing out!

Dickens would be proud. Whatever that means.