Life of the Lintee Bean

Chicago had a huge blizzard last week.  We got over 20″ of snow.  Honestly, I was hoping for three more inches.  Many of my fellow Chicago residents are aghast that I’d say such a thing – but really, once we have 20″, what’s three more?  Is it going to be that much more work for anyone?  If we’re going to be miserable and buried in snow, I want to break the record.  Instead, we had the third largest snowfall in Chicago history.

As a child, I used to see my older siblings build big snow forts in the back yard when it snowed.  Those snow forts always looked like a lot of fun.  However, snow forts are definitely NOT fun when they encompass your car. I can’t begin to tell you how sick I am of shoveling snow.  Not only shoveling the sidewalks to my house, but shoveling out my car.  I have to shovel out the car in order to go anywhere, then shovel again when I return so I have a place to put my car.

Personally, I don’t call “dibs” on any of the spots I’ve shoveled by putting stuff in it.  However, I do honor other people’s “dibs”.  I think there should be some sort of rules on dibs, though.  I don’t mean city ordinances – technically, it’s the city’s ordinance that you can’t call dibs by putting stuff in a parking spot.  That ordinance is basically ignored.  There should be guidelines – like you can call dibs if YOU shovel out the spot, not if I shovel out the spot, then vacate it temporarily. (I’m talking to you, neighbor!) The items used to call dibs should have some kind of value.  I don’t think you should be allowed to use stuff like empty boxes, or empty boxes in bags. That’s basically just littering. What’s next? I put a scrap of paper or a used tissue in a parking spot on the street and claim it’s mine?

In other big news – the SuperBowl! My ex-boyfriend invited me and a few of his friends over to watch the game.  I find it interesting to see what people bring to a SuperBowl party.  The ex-boyfriend provided Ritz crackers, plain potato chips, and spreadable cheese. One of his friends brought some crunchy cheese puffs and Little Debbie cakes.  Another brought slippers (to wear), honey mustard & onion pretzels, and bold Chex Mix… as well as a book (to loan to the ex-boyfriend, not to read during the game).  The final arrival brought a frozen cheesecake and plain tortilla chips (no salsa) – and slippers.  I brought raw baby carrots, cucumber-yogurt dip, and frozen pizza.  I’m not sure what that says about me.

I wore the new Packers jersey I’d ordered online.  When I placed the order, I somehow failed to notice it had ridiculous big rhinestone thingies along the neck.  However, now that the Packers won, I feel like it’s my “lucky jersey”, ugly rhinestones and all.

Football season, and hopefully so is the snow – or at least the major snowfalls.  I’m optimistic.  The temperatures have improved and it’s no longer bitterly cold, and I figure I’ve shoveled out about half my street by now so if it doesn’t snow again eventually there has to be parking available without any shoveling involved.  I’m so optimistic, I decided to plop into the snow Friday night and make a big snow angel on the front lawn.  Not the best snow angel ever, but it brought back memories of happier snowfalls and less inconvenient snow forts.

Submitted for publication in the Greeley Citizen