As a born and raised Midwesterner, four seasons of weather have always been a natural part of existence. Two of the best seasons are Spring and Fall. Spring brings a new beginning as plants return to life and balmy temperatures buoy the spirits. The Fall season is all too brief as nature changes normally green plant life into brilliant orange and red hues.
If you live below the Mason-Dixon line then Summer is usually always there in some form or other. Jerry Levine is our technical editor who lives near Los Angeles, California. Whenever I mention the frigid temperatures in Illinois he quotes the temperature in California which is rarely below 70 degrees. Locksmith Ledger writer Tim O’Leary writes his articles in sunny Florida. Today he told me the temperature in Florida was 65 degrees.
While people shown on TV at the Super Bowl in Arizona and our writers in California and Florida were enjoying warm temperatures, nature usually finds a way in the Winter to make Northerners cringe. Early Chicago weather forecasts originally mentioned 4-6 inches of snow during the Super Bowl weekend. Estimates were later raised to 6-8 inches of snow and then during the storm we were told that the snow depth might total closer to 17 inches ‑ and they were finally right. At this moment the weather system is gone from Chicago and has moved eastward. New England will probably receive the same thick snow mantel we already have.
When the wind is howling, snow flakes are going sideways in huge quantities and visibility outside is near zero, the best thing to do is take a deep breath and relax. For a 36-hour period between Saturday evening and Monday morning I forgot about all about locks and keys. We share our home with three golden retrievers and two border collies. Our only outdoor activity was in shoveling a few paths in the back yard so our dogs had some place to roam without getting stuck in a snow bank.
It is now Monday morning, February 1. The skies are clear and the streets have been plowed. I have no complaints about that old snow storm last weekend. It has given me an opportunity to clear my mind and to begin the week with a fresh outlook. Look at it this way. Florida has their hurricanes and California has their earthquakes. Everybody has something to complain about. Hurricanes, snow storms and earthquakes can come and go but the security industry will always be there to support each and every one of us. A little blip in the road now and then only makes us appreciate what we have that much more.
