The Wonderful Blizzard of OZ.

I am sitting at home right now, looking out the window at the ensuing blizzard.  Living in the Midwest I have had more than a little experience with odd weather.  From 110 degree highs in the summer to -20 degree lows in the winter, we get the full range.

Along with a large section of the U.S. we are being inundated with a huge winter storm, forcing my family, friends, and most of the sane world into hibernation.  The weather stations have been warning of this storm for days now so you do what comes natural, stock up on milk and toilet paper, and prepare to wait it out.

So here we are, my family and I all "stuck" at home.  While the wind screams and creates beautiful but annoying multi-feet snow drifts, we are sitting inside doing what you do, watch TV, read, play games, etc.  The food is great and plentiful, chili, chicken soup, what better cold weather food.  And I get to spend time with my family, where is the down side?

As I watch the news I can't help but get annoyed at the people that are being interviewed.  They are all complaining about how much this storm is "disrupting" their lives.  One was complaining that he was not going to get to fly off last minute to Las Vegas to "have some Fun", another complained that they would have to wait at the airport for a few hours due to delays because the airport staff couldn't keep the runways clear.  I have to admit I do not like living in a snow globe, however is it really that bad for most of us?  Or maybe we have become so spoiled by being able to do whatever we want whenever we want, that any disruption becomes the end of the world.

I cannot help but imagine what our forefathers would have had to do just to survive in a similar situation.  Animals to be fed, storm or no storm, some even having to bring their livestock into their homes to keep them alive.  Firewood to be brought in, fighting through the snow drifts, cleaning the snow off of each piece of wood, over and over again just to keep their family alive and warm. Water to bring in somehow, no hot showers to warm them up.  No phones to call to pass the time, no rescue services to contact for help, just them, alone, for the duration.  Oh, and what about our wonderful indoor plumbing, no heat in the outhouse, better hurry!

It would be hard, very hard but I really wonder if they would be complaining quite as much as we do.  We have become soft, we have had it well for so long that we can't seem to be able to tough it through even a two day storm without complaining wildly.

Not everyone is complaining though.  Most of my friends seem to have the same opinion about our situation that I have, its actually kind of novel and fun!

So to the whiners out there a question:  Are you really that spoiled?