Where are you when the weather is extreme?

By Ann Burnside Love

Without getting into a discussion of whose theories are right about climate change, during this last week we have been experiencing the coldest temperatures Americans under 40 have ever encountered. (The weather folks tell us this, so it must be so.) At the same time, they give us below-zero wind chill reports in all sorts of cities and communities unused to and unequipped for these extremes.

Since I’m primarily addressing my contemporaries and their adult children, I realize that we are several decades older than 40 years, and most of us have experienced lots of weather extremes in our lifetimes, no matter what part of the country in which we live. Even the southern states are experiencing one of the coldest spells on record.

Now, I’m prepared to believe that this “cold” is life threatening, and that my contemporaries and I had better remain indoors, period. The question then becomes: Where indoors and under what circumstances?

Somewhere the power lines may come down and we’re without heat, light and communication? Somewhere not even Meals on Wheels can get through to the needy? Somewhere the wind-chill is so fierce that we seniors dare not function outdoors for more than a very short period?

Of course you know that I’m about to tell you about retirement communities and a few of the benefits they offer, which I have quite enjoyed for more than four years. To me, in this particular instance, the fact that they have generators available 24/7 and that there will be heat, basic light, basic utilities, emergency transportation and lots of insulation between us and the weather, means everything.

And there will be food, real food, hot food, and not just peanut butter and cold cereal. Generators. Think generators. I have learned serious respect for great big generators.

The snow and ice on our cars disappears as a crew goes through our parking lots. The mail actually comes through. (They’re having plenty of opportunities to test their pledge, aren’t they?) All the glorious beauty of what’s going on outside is right there through my insulated windows. And best of all, my children and grandchildren aren’t worried about me.

Of course there are dozens of excellent reasons for making the move into a full-service retirement community, which I discuss in this series of blogs every week. Right now, though, with the wind chill tonight dropping into unrecognizable numbers, this is enough of a good reason for today.

Be warm, be safe, and carry on!

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Ann’s blog appears here every Thursday. Comments are most welcome!