Yesterday the snow began flying. It started as a small trickle and slowly became a steady flow of beautiful white flakes. In my part of the state, the Puget Sound, snow does not come as often as the East side of the state (where I was raised). The kids and I quickly gathered our clothes and headed outside to play in the majestic elements. We went to the park behind our house and gathered pine boughs that had fallen from the wind storm last week. We ran around the park playing in the snow that began to accumulate on the ground. It was barely enough to make a snowball with. The kids were playing, laughing, and hoping-hoping for that first “snow day.”
Snow day is a day where school is cancelled, or has a late start, due to the snow fall. When I was in primary school, we only had a snow day when there was drifting snow that did not allow the buses to run. I know, I know, I sound like that old record “I had to walk to school, through drifting snow, uphill, three miles-each way”. Snow fall is a lot different than it was 20 years ago! When I first moved to this side of the Cascades, I held the masses over here in contempt. A mere ¼ inch! You have got to be kidding! So I decided to do my normal routine. I got in my car, started down the road, and within ½ mile realized why snow is so dangerous on the west side of Washington State. It has nothing to do with the weather elements, but rather the HUMAN element!
Here in the Puget Sound, a snow day occurs whenever snow falls-PERIOD! So yesterday’s accumulation of around ¼ inch, constitutes a snow day in Olympia. I arose as normal, around 4:30am to go for my morning jog. Since it was so cold and icy, I headed to the local YMCA to use the treadmill. While at the Y, I overheard that the entire school district, and several other districts were running 2 hours late. Instead of hurrying home to get the kids ready for school, I settled into a longer jog than previously anticipated.
At home, our oldest usually rises around 6am in order to get ready for school and before-school activities. Mara had already gotten up with her alarm, found out what the snow status was, and quickly slipped back into bed. I finished out my cool-down, sent my husband off to work, and settled down to enjoy at least 2 hours of quiet time before I had to awaken the children. I was 10 minutes into “my time” when I heard the call of my youngest. Leah was so excited that the snow was still here! She wanted to get up and call all of her cousins right away. Instead of enjoying 2 unexpected hours of “my time”, it looked like I would enjoy 2 hours of children running outside before school started. The first snow day had arrived-with all of its beauty, majesty, and excitement.
Friday, May 28, 2010 at 4:05AM