Mother Nature gave us a much-needed dose of spring-like weather this weekend while also reminding us that only in Indiana can you wear shorts one day and then have to bundle up in a coat the next.
We’re less than one month from the first official day of spring — and just 20 days away from adjusting our clocks as we spring forward because of Daylight Saving Time.
My friends who live in warmer climates year-round always are surprised when they hear how our weather can and does change so quickly in Indiana. I sent one of those friends a picture on Friday of our snow and ice that was so bad that it closed schools around the area and resulted in a day of eLearning for most northeast Indiana students.
That same friend called on Sunday as I was at the store to buy some chicken that we were planning to grill that night.
“Wait. I thought there was snow and ice in Indiana,” he said over the phone as I was picking up a bottle of barbecue sauce for the chicken.
He was as surprised as any non-Hoosier would be to hear that Sunday was sunny and in the 50s — a beautiful day to fire up the grill following a few months of not using it.
“And Monday and Tuesday are going to be warmer before we have snow again later in the week,” I said.
Only in Indiana.
My colleague Dave Schultz noted in his column yesterday an observation that the late basketball coach and broadcaster Al McGuire made once when visiting Indiana. McGuire noted that Hoosiers seemed to sit on the same side of the booth when eating at restaurants, Dave shared in his column.
I agree with Dave that you don’t see that practice as much these days. I have observed over the years, however, that Hoosiers know how to take advantage of a sunny spring-like day in winter better than most.
My wife and I weren’t the only ones who had the idea to grill this weekend. We saw others doing the same during one of our three walks outdoors sans winter coats, gloves and hats.
Normally we try to walk our 2-year-old golden retriever twice a day — once in the morning around 5 and once in the evening around 5. This weekend, however, we were out three times to make up for so many lost walks during the past several frigid weeks … and to try to burn some calories from too much Super Bowl food last weekend.
Only in Indiana can your sidewalks and grill be covered in snow and ice on Friday with little to no evidence of that precipitation by Sunday.
As we returned home from the final walk of the day, I noticed that my neighbor was outside cleaning the inside of her car — something I hadn’t done since the last nice day we had in 2021.
A few minutes later, I was at the car wash spraying down my floor mats to remove months of salt and grime buildup and getting all the dust and golden retriever dander out of our car.
Only in Indiana will you find the car wash busier than the grocery store on a February weekend.
Cold weather with the possibility of yet another winter storm are in the forecast later this week. It’s not quite yet time to put the winter gear away … but keeping a pair of shorts nearby isn’t a bad idea either.
Only in Indiana.
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