Winter-wise

When I made a list of things I was thankful for in November, I failed to include living in Houston. I’ll admit that Houston summers can be brutal. The heat and humidity combine in a way that threatens to melt the human body into a puddle of fat, salt and sweat. I don’t like Houston summers. If I had unlimited wealth at my command, I would definitely summer elsewhere.

Houston winters, on the other hand, are a delight. The temperature remains relatively comfortable throughout the season. I’ve spent many a Christmas day in shorts. Often a sweater or light jacket is all that’s needed against the cold. Most people who live here don’t even own a full-length winter coat.

We occasionally get an ice storm that lasts a couple of days or a freak snowfall that never amounts to enough for a decent snowman, but such occasions make for an unexpected holiday. We take off work, cancel school, make cocoa and watch movies. We are unprepared for life as usual in such bizarre weather. Our Gulf Coast location spares us from really cold weather. When I see video of northern cities piled in snow, cars sliding around on the ice or pedestrians struggling to block the wind and maintain their footing, I shudder to think of winter spent in such a climate.

My pet theory is that anyone who suffers through a mid-continental winter just doesn’t know how much nicer it is down south. One winter weekend in Houston and I believe they would be packing up the homestead.

Real Houston winter, such as it is, arrived while we slept last night. A cold, drippy rain and gray skies accompanied a drop in temperature that makes staying home all day feel like a great idea. It’s going to freeze tonight, maybe even the next few nights, but we’re still talking about temperatures in the high 20s, not in the single digits.

And one thing’s for sure: the cold spell won’t last long. No weather condition (except summer) lasts long in this place. Another front comes from the north, blows in from the west, or is pushed in from the Gulf. Our weather is ever changing and often challenging. But it is wondrously warm this time of year, and I’m so glad to be in Houston for the winter.