I lived near Philadelphia for 4 years attending school, and really missed the true winter season for a few of them.

One fall we had a hint to let us know what was to come - we had 2 feet of snow on the 14th of October! And no one knew what to do! The Canadian guys, including my brother, went to the hardware store, bought shovels and proceeded to make a fortune clearing snow! My brother said that that was the easiest money he made while he was at school. He had a long list of clients for the winter who appreciated his skill at moving snow efficiently - all those years of practice at home paid off. When he was younger, he used to grumble loudly when it was his turn to shovel the deck and the walks. I used to tease him about that when he bragged about how much he made. (Aren't kids crazy sometimes!)

That was the only winter that felt 'normal' to me. I really don't mind the snow, as long as I can hunker down and enjoy it!