Cripes!

Ok, I am not looking for sympathy. I understand that there are great swaths of the Northeast and Midwest that have to deal with loooonnnnnggggggg winters each year. Somehow you manage because you folks are TOUGH! Way tougher than me.

But, this is the maritime Pacific Northwest! You know? Sea level! I know today I wake up to just a dusting and not a big deal. Although, North westerners are particularly stupid about snow and ice driving. So, for someone, somewhere it is a very big deal. But, this is a place that would typically go years without a single flake while this winter we have had record flakes.

Is this what my pal Al Gore was warning us all about? Is this evidence? Are we year by year, tweaking was something so much bigger than ourselves that we are changing climate?

My kingdom for an electric car! With snow tires.

Snow days for one and all

I overslept this morning but zipped downstairs to check. I was looking for the e-mail letting us know if school was on time or canceled. Bingo! Our first official snow day of the year!

Molly will be jubilant; a whole day to flake around, finish her book, go outside and play in the snow, get too cold and come in for cocoa and then watch a movie.

Shea is a good sport no matter what but I hazard to guess that he would rather go to school. It gets a little boring here at home for him. And, when molly crawls inside a good book, I know Shea is feeling very left out.

Ever since the snow came last weekend, it has been unusually cold, mid 20's and down to the teens at night. Brrr..... We just aren't used to that sort of weather. Water pipes are freezing all over the island and it's the busy time for the furnace and heating trucks. My friends were out of electricity for about 10 hours on Sunday which makes it a pretty darn cold house if you don't have a generator or woodstove.

Last night we were supposed to get another dusting but if it happened it was just enough to cover the roads again and make them extra slick. Although , it appears that a much anticipated storm is coming with more snow and ice and folks are getting prepared.

I went to the grocery store yesterday and it was packed. Usually, mid day while the kids are at school is a pretty mellow time to go. But, yesterday, everyone was out "stocking up" and making the traditional small town chitty-chat in the aisles and in line. The snow and cold was on everybody's lips, gleeful clapping and bright childish grins on middle aged faces.

My east coast raised husband thinks we are all nuts. And, we are. Nobody native can drive in the snow. The Puget Sound was gouged out by glaciers just passing through and we have the hills and valleys to prove it. East of the mountains, yes, they can do snow and do it well. But, us maritime rats are literally flummoxed.

The best advise is to stay home, snuggie in, tele-commute, take a sick or vacation day. Whatever you do, DON'T TRY TO GET TO WORK OR SCHOOL ON TIME!

The local news will be full of "hilarious" footage of cars with no chains trying to climb Queen Anne hill or some such nonsense. Just hilarious if you are watching it over and over from the comfort of your couch with a blankie and/or Hot Toddy. But, I can imagine quite scary for the poor schlub behind the wheel.

So, dig out those long undies NW and put a pot of soup on the stove. We're not going anywhere fast. And, isn't is wonderful?

IT'S SNOWING!!!!!!!!

After days of threats and innuendo from the weather folks, the flakes started about 7:30. By 8:30 it was impossible to ignore. Even though Shea was brushed, jammied and ready for bed, I didn't have the heart to not let him play in his first snow with sissy and the big kids. So, we bundled him up, almost ridiculously and let him go.

Molly and the neighbor girls come over in full snow worship. After a busy afternoon hanging out next door, the 4 of them were thrilled to herald the rare weather and proceeded to roll many gargantuan snowballs presumably for the bottom part of a snow person choir in the orchard. Extensive plans were hatched for the morrow.

Shea ran hard with the big girls and came back with snow down his shirt. The little poops. But, fresh and rosy and annoyed (very annoyed) that he had to come in at 9:15. Then he literally crashed.

The weather gurus says it will be real cold for a day or several so our hopes is that the snow will stay for at least tomorrow.

I am almost completely a NW native (lived here since I was 1 1/2 years old) and I have spent my whole life wishing and hoping for snow days. There is absolutely NOTHING that turns back the clock for me as watching snow fall. Each snow fall is a red letter day and we make a big, darn deal out of it.

This is Shea's first. Tomorrow will be a big day. I can't wait!