Ashland Speaks by Lula Anderson - 27 February 2026

I guess I've procrastinated enough for today, I scrolled through FaceBook (nothing at all interesting), shoveled out my car and the steps, relined all of the garbage cans—still don't know what to write.  I called several downstate friends yesterday.  Central Park had over 2 feet of snow.  My friend from Staten Island had severe drifting and was up to her thighs in snow while trying to shovel her walk.  Her husband cleaned out their driveway, but still can't go out because the road was never plowed.  I look outside and see our 4 - 6 inches of snow and laugh.  Several people waited until after 3 to start shoveling because they were still waiting for the additional snow that was being promised all day.  I look out and see clear roads and am so thankful I live up in the mountains.

Happy Birthday wishes to Walter Anderson and Jay LoPresti.  

While scrolling through Facebook, I saw that Freddie Decker is in Florida and doing well.  Of course, I can't find the post again, but his mailing address is in the post if you can find it.  

Another WAJPL meeting was cancelled due to the weather.  I wonder if we'll ever get back together again?  The last time we saw each other was at the Holiday luncheon in December.  I sure hope we can get together in March.  We have a trip to discuss.  Hopefully we will see many of our friends on Thursday evening at the WAJ Drama Club play.

AS I REMEMBER IT

We've covered how cold this winter has been, and how uncomfortable it has been in relation to past years.  Watching the news  we find more and more youngsters falling through the ice on lakes and ponds and having to be rescued.  We were taught NOT to walk on the creek until the thickness was tested.  On favorite way was to throw a big rock unto the surface.  If it bounced off, it was safe to test it further.  Gingerly, the first foot would go on the ice.  With your heel you pound it, No cracking, the next foot would go on.  Now, we NEVER went alone, there was always someone to watch and be able to run for help if needed.  The brave tester would slide farther out to the middle of the pond or creek and the observer would had out another larger rock which would be thrown out as far as possible.  After jumping up and down a few times without a problem, it was time for person number two to join in.  Having passed the two person test, it was time to go home, call the neighbors and get the skates out.  We all knew how to swim, and we knew what would happen if we fell in to an icy creek.  Not to say that it didn't happen, it just that we knew how to rescue ourselves.  

It amazes me to hear that people are surprised that the river is iced over. Think back to pre refrigeration days when only the well to do had an ice box.  Where did that ice come from?  Why the rivers and ponds of course.  All winter long men would cut blocks of ice and put them in underground "bunkers" wrapped in a layer of sawdust to insulate them.  In the summer, these blocks would still be solid and sold for refrigeration.  

I think back on all that we did to get through a winter.  Snow wasn't a nuisance, it was a necessity.  It insulated the ground to keep pipes from freezing and the roots of the plants viable.  I still like to shovel snow against my foundation to keep the wind out.  Just think of the Siberian Husky who loves to bury himself in the snow with only his nose sticking out.  He is in a comfortable 32 degree blanket.  Right now, I'm, thinking of anything positive to help me get through the rest of this winter.