Snow Days

I used to love snow days when I was a kid. I have a very distinct memory…well, probably an amalgamation of a bunch of memories living in Nebraska. I remember one time the snow was higher than my second-story bedroom window. We would don our trusty snowsuits, gloves, scarves, and hats and go burrowing through the drift…epic snowball fights with the Purdhams (next door neighbors)…when the snowsuit got soaked through we would come inside for hot chocolate and cinnamon toast while our wet things tumbled in the dryer…as soon as they were dry enough we would be back at it again. I do remember a few snow days, but I also remember waiting for the school bus in upstate New York in my little snow suit in what seemed to me to be a blizzard. I got the feeling that snow days up north are for sissies. Here in Texas we very sensibly shut the world down when there is even a tiny bit of moisture on the roads. Be assured, I mean no disrespect to Texas drivers, but let’s just acknowledge the fact that either they didn’t pay attention in physics class or they just have an overwhelming drive to punch it, no matter what. My son and I walked to the 7-11 nearby in the glittering world the other day. He very gallantly pushed me behind him as a car that was a block away began its Tokyo-Drift-style slide toward us. The driver tried gunning it and went by with such a confused look on his face. A few moments later another man tried to accelerate around the actual 7-11…I am fairly sure he didn’t make it. He is probably still sliding.

I acknowledge my lack of prowess when it comes to driving on ice and keep my happy self home.

For a long time snow days irritated the snot out of me as a teacher. You know I have a very carefully curated plan for this quarter! Nowadays I realize that it’ll all be there when we get back…plans can always be adjusted…and there is just nothing like being able to wake up in the blue gray dark of a snow day, check the clock, and roll back over and to sleep.