I haven’t had a real “snow day” since living in NC; back then, the schools would close with the mere mention of snow, or ice, or even “extreme” cold suggesting the remote possibility of either of the above. My first winter in Chicago was a real kicker – I didn’t have an exceptionally warm coat nor a pair of snow/rain boots, and I truthfully didn’t have a clue what to expect. I was just scurred. Needless to say, I was given a swift kick in the ass by an early December snow, and to make matters worse, I actually had to go to class, which I hadn’t expected. Thanks to my mother-in-law, I was sent an old down coat and after that, things improved with each winter. Now, I have two down coats, rain boots and until last winter, a great pair of snow boots, along with plenty of...








