To Neenie

A recent discussion about the weather of the PNW has prompted this post (I am on a bit of a roll this morning with thoughts I've had the past couple of weeks). My grandmother was known as "Neenie" to her 6 grandchildren. She cracks me up when I think of her. I can still hear her laugh. She wasn't a grandmother out of a movie or a book, or especially "grandmotherly" but she was my Neenie and she helped raise me as far as I am concerned and taught me many life lessons. I could go on, but the reason the weather brought up memories of my grandmother--well actually my grandparents-- follows:

Once again, I found myself in a discussion about how I liked our move to Washington. Invariably, the weather came up. Even the locals are quick to remind me that this summer was abnormal with temperatures 10 degrees lower than the norm and historically cold in the weather books. *sigh* This does little to make me feel as though summer has not gone missing! But getting back to my response of how I like the area--I do love it. We are getting to see a part of the world that I never in my mind thought we would. We have exposed our children to natural landscapes and monuments and culture that they never would have experienced without this move. We both believe the world is our playground and each place is another experience in the play. Our adventuresome souls will not be squelched by rain. In fact, I recently took one of my walks in the rain and it was wonderfully fresh and invigorating. Rain will not stop us.

But, all that being said, this move has made me feel more like a Southerner than any of our other moves. I like heat. Most humidity doesn't both me. I was watching the Clemson football game and everyone was in t's and shorts and it was a sunny 86 at 6 pm while I was huddled under a blanket in long sleeves while the leaves are already beginning to turn. I feel as though I am in an alternate universe to everything I know. AND THIS IS NOT A COMPLAINT. It's a statement of reality that goes back to my grandparents. To this day, my grandparents do not have air conditioning and they live in Columbia, SC. Almost every summer I was sent to SC to stay with my grandparents and I lived in 90-100+ heat with 90-100% humidity and loved it. You live a different pace of life. We got up early, enjoyed the semi-cool mornings, played, picked our veggies, ate lunch, rested, then got up later in the afternoon and played until the sun set. All without AC. See, I grew up with heat in my bones. Heat from the south makes the most decadent tomatoes of anywhere in the world. Heat grows corn that as sweet and succulent. Heat ripens peaches and nectarines that drool down your chin.

So, while I am loving every experience of the PNW, you will have to forgive my moaning about the weather--it's only because heat is apart of who I am in. It reminds me of my summers with my grandparents and it's strangely come to make me realize I really am a southerner--although for years, I wasn't sure. For me, that's not a bad thing.

All that being said, bring on the rain. I'm ready to take it head on. :)