It seems that we dodged a bullet this time. Mercifully so. And it’s a good thing, too. Are any of us really prepared for a repeat of the natural disaster that took place last winter when we were nearly buried alive in all that snow?

Well. A little exaggeration never killed anyone. But a little too much shoveling and fighting for parking spaces and the general wear and tear on the nerves just might. It wasn’t a pretty thing to behold – and we wouldn’t wish it upon ourselves or our worst enemies – or would we?

While we ourselves got out of this thing relatively unscathed and no worse for wear, many of our neighbors didn’t fare quite so well, and our heartfelt good wishes go out to them.

Let us extend our sympathies – if not our snow shovels – in support of what we know all too well is happening to them. May they shake it off in good health and with their civic cleanup costs within manageable limits. We know too well too the price of a massive cleanup operation. Our city’s coffers got pretty well cleaned out too last year.

So, let’s heave a collective sigh of relief as we sit in wait for whatever else Mother Nature may have in store for us this winter. It’s not over yet. Not by a mile.

Keep the home fires burning, and the snow shovels primed and ready. We can hope for the best, but hope won’t stop the deluge if its time comes. Don’t we know it all too well.