Here Back East

A Delightful Trip Up North

Lenny Ackerman

February 12, 2026

On Sunday, I left Florida and headed north into the remnants of one of the worst snowstorms in local history. On the flight up, I was preoccupied with the “what ifs.” What if I was underdressed when I arrived? What if the driver could not meet me at the airport due to road closures? What if the driveway at home were unplowed? What if there was no heat, or hot water, or power at the house? Well, my fears weren’t exactly unfounded. The driver showed up, but we only got as far as the end of my mostly uncleared 100-yard driveway. I live in a semi-rural area, and the way up to my house was unpassable. In my leather loafers, I trudged up to the house in unwelcoming 22-degree weather. What kept me going was the thought of the hot shower I would enjoy at the end of my trek. Finally, inside, I went and turned on the shower taps and let them run. And run. And run. No hot water. On the plus side, the pipes weren’t frozen. Upon investigation, it seems the gas company never refilled the propane tank.

The next day, I headed into New York City to meet with a client. The temps were still in the 20s, and the streets were narrowed by the inconsistent plowing. Minimal clearing of the sidewalks meant pedestrians had to move single file between the dirty banks of snow piled up on either side. I have not been in this kind of weather since I was a kid growing up in western New York, when it seemed like every day was a “snow day.” Back then, no school because of the weather meant sledding and building snow forts. Nowadays, it just means wear appropriate clothing and carry on with business. Did we realize how good we had it back then?

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