The excitement, for me, of seeing the big, fat flakes floating from the heavens ended when I got home yesterday afternoon. I arrived in my usual parking spot on the street to find that there was hardly any snow at home! I work 12 miles from my house and I would guess (not being a meteorologist) that we probably got about 1.5"-2" of snow at the office. Someone even made a little snow man on one of the tables on the patio. I noticed him when I went out there to stand in the falling white stuff and grin like a fool for a few minutes - remembering when I used to do the same thing growing up in CT. Snow fascinates me and it is, to me, the most serene thing there is. (Well, besides a warm, crackling fire in a fireplace and a mug of hot chocolate! But we don't have a fireplace at home, so the falling snow will have to suffice.) Snow always makes a busy world seem muffled and quiet; peaceful.
I do wonder, sometimes, at the panic that follows the threat of snow. Granted, when the powers-that-be at my office declared the Inclement Weather day yesterday (beginning at 3PM) the snow was still headed downward from the skies and, though it was relatively warm, it was supposed to freeze overnight. (Which it did, by the way.) We went into immediate "emergency" mode to make sure that everyone could get home alright, and back in safely the next morning. Those that did not feel comfortable navigating the treacherous hi-ways and bi-ways were shuttled to a local hotel for the night and picked up again this morning. We take care of our own.
But, this morning, aside from my usual struggle with de-frosting the windshield on my car, I had no issues getting to the office. My 12 mile drive was, to put it simply, cold. That's it. Period. Now, I am not making light of this, because I know good and well that there are some areas around here that have either not been treated or scraped, or are so far out that the folks who live there really are stuck. Ice can be such a sneaky, slippery beast. But, thankfully, I had not one single issue other than the minimal space I had to see through my windshield.
We're expecting some more of the fluffy white stuff sometime this afternoon and maybe tomorrow, but I can say from my nearly 10-year stint in East TN, that we'll probably get no more than a dusting. I'd like to say that we're due for a good blizzard that would shut us down like the Federal Government in January of 1996 when there was 3 feet of snow on the ground in the DC area...but wishing for a good shut-down snow and actually getting one are two completely different things.
I will, eventually, get over this snow thing...but honestly, my main reason for wanting a good, solid, snow is because I want Kiddo and Little Bit to know what it means to really play outside in Winter. I want them to be able to make a choir of snow angels. I want them to build snow forts and toss snow balls and get red-tipped noses and benumbed fingers and then enjoy a cup of steaming hot (OK, warm, for littler bodies) cocoa with tons of marshmallows. I can personally suffer through not feeling my ears or my nose or my toes for one good afternoon romping around with the kids in the snow.
TTFN
JMS
Tuesday, February 03, 2009
Oh, for the love of all that's....um...
The excitement, for me, of seeing the big, fat flakes floating from the heavens ended when I got home yesterday afternoon. I arrived in my usual parking spot on the street to find that there was hardly any snow at home! I work 12 miles from my house and I would guess (not being a meteorologist) that we probably got about 1.5"-2" of snow at the office. Someone even made a little snow man on one of the tables on the patio. I noticed him when I went out there to stand in the falling white stuff and grin like a fool for a few minutes - remembering when I used to do the same thing growing up in CT. Snow fascinates me and it is, to me, the most serene thing there is. (Well, besides a warm, crackling fire in a fireplace and a mug of hot chocolate! But we don't have a fireplace at home, so the falling snow will have to suffice.) Snow always makes a busy world seem muffled and quiet; peaceful.
I do wonder, sometimes, at the panic that follows the threat of snow. Granted, when the powers-that-be at my office declared the Inclement Weather day yesterday (beginning at 3PM) the snow was still headed downward from the skies and, though it was relatively warm, it was supposed to freeze overnight. (Which it did, by the way.) We went into immediate "emergency" mode to make sure that everyone could get home alright, and back in safely the next morning. Those that did not feel comfortable navigating the treacherous hi-ways and bi-ways were shuttled to a local hotel for the night and picked up again this morning. We take care of our own.
But, this morning, aside from my usual struggle with de-frosting the windshield on my car, I had no issues getting to the office. My 12 mile drive was, to put it simply, cold. That's it. Period. Now, I am not making light of this, because I know good and well that there are some areas around here that have either not been treated or scraped, or are so far out that the folks who live there really are stuck. Ice can be such a sneaky, slippery beast. But, thankfully, I had not one single issue other than the minimal space I had to see through my windshield.
We're expecting some more of the fluffy white stuff sometime this afternoon and maybe tomorrow, but I can say from my nearly 10-year stint in East TN, that we'll probably get no more than a dusting. I'd like to say that we're due for a good blizzard that would shut us down like the Federal Government in January of 1996 when there was 3 feet of snow on the ground in the DC area...but wishing for a good shut-down snow and actually getting one are two completely different things.
I will, eventually, get over this snow thing...but honestly, my main reason for wanting a good, solid, snow is because I want Kiddo and Little Bit to know what it means to really play outside in Winter. I want them to be able to make a choir of snow angels. I want them to build snow forts and toss snow balls and get red-tipped noses and benumbed fingers and then enjoy a cup of steaming hot (OK, warm, for littler bodies) cocoa with tons of marshmallows. I can personally suffer through not feeling my ears or my nose or my toes for one good afternoon romping around with the kids in the snow.
TTFN
JMS
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5 comments:
I hope that storm passes through quickly! Well, not before you and the kids have fun playing in the snow! Good times!
Careful driving out there!
Hugs ~ Claudia
my son is already hoping for a snow day tomorrow as well ;)andI would like 1 decent snowfall where we justify all of us staying home!
The Blizzard of 92 was no fun here Woman!!! It shut Oak Ridge down. Many were without power for quite a bit! Don't be wishing for those blizzards.....if for nothing else....dont wish them for me...I am allergic to cold, snow, marriage, and reproduction at this point in life!!!! :)
Well it is snowing like the dickens here. Despite the fact that they closed school early it still took 1. hours to get home. I also went ass over teakettle trying to walk to my car. All of a sudden, plop! There I was sitting in the snow. Much to my posterior's dismay. On the humorous side I did leave a sort of ridiculous half (butt and legs) snow angel for everyone else to admire or take as a warning (whichever) on their way to the car.
I live in the snow belt, and sadly, have lost all fascination for snow. In fact, the other day I yelled out, "I just can't stand it anymore!" There is a mountain of snow piled at the end of our driveway.
But it's nice to read your post and remember that snow can be a wonderful thing if you let it (or it comes in small, rare doses).
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