Honestly, the last thing I expected on Tuesday morning was a phone call at 5:15. Dr. Bender's voice declaring a snow day in District 64 wove effortlessly into my still sleepy head. I put my head back on the pillow attempting sleep. I was sure I had dreamed the whole thing. At 5:20, I had climbed over two children of varying size, they will often stealthily crawl into my bed at some ridiculous morning hour; inched past Buddy, who had been snuggled up against me; out of bed, and gingerly stepped around the lump under the covers at the end of the bed, Billy growls when you wake him; and gracefully fell out of bed.
I turned the alarms off on my phone and double checked my school e-mail and triple-checked the district website. As I looked out the window into a sterile grey sky, absent of falling snow, I reiterated to myself the unbelievable wonderful fact that it was indeed a snow day!
I must say, I didn't do anything spectacular with my snow day, but that is exactly what a snow day is for- the bliss of doing nothing!
Before it got dark I did take Buddy out for a walk, a lengthy walk. He absolutely loves the snow. He bounced over drifts and through fluffy blankets of snowy ground. If it weren't for his sweater I would have lost sight of him. He bounded across the park, heading for another small dog who was apparently a good dog, as he was off his leash and seemed to know his name and have good social skills. Buddy was so excited. He would jump into the snow racing to play with this little dog wearing a smart red coat. Inevitably he would trip or get caught up and face plant. He looked more and more like Santa Claus as we walked closer to home. His face wore a beard of snow and his eyes sparkled. It was a new world for him; he stopped to mark every snowman he could reach. He did not want to back in, but sometimes that's just the way it goes.
Luciano and I shoveled the steps to the front and back doors while my husband manned the snowblower. With cleared steps, for the moment, Luci and I raced to the backyard and, using those ice-brick molds, commenced building a wall to hide behind to ambush Victor with snowballs when he finished with the walk. We built a great wall; it was three feet high. Tall enough for us to hide behind. Unfortunately, we hadn't prepared for the onslaught that awaited us. A snowblower throws out huge quantities of snow at pretty good speeds. After he hit us with the first wave, I grabbed my little guy, as any good mother would, and shielded him with my body. We emerged from our wintery cocoon waving a white flag- or at least begging for mercy.
It was so much fun. I promised Luciano we'd build the wall up again after school and before going sledding with friends. These snowy, really snowy, days are rare. Make the most of them.
I turned the alarms off on my phone and double checked my school e-mail and triple-checked the district website. As I looked out the window into a sterile grey sky, absent of falling snow, I reiterated to myself the unbelievable wonderful fact that it was indeed a snow day!
I must say, I didn't do anything spectacular with my snow day, but that is exactly what a snow day is for- the bliss of doing nothing!
Before it got dark I did take Buddy out for a walk, a lengthy walk. He absolutely loves the snow. He bounced over drifts and through fluffy blankets of snowy ground. If it weren't for his sweater I would have lost sight of him. He bounded across the park, heading for another small dog who was apparently a good dog, as he was off his leash and seemed to know his name and have good social skills. Buddy was so excited. He would jump into the snow racing to play with this little dog wearing a smart red coat. Inevitably he would trip or get caught up and face plant. He looked more and more like Santa Claus as we walked closer to home. His face wore a beard of snow and his eyes sparkled. It was a new world for him; he stopped to mark every snowman he could reach. He did not want to back in, but sometimes that's just the way it goes.
Luciano and I shoveled the steps to the front and back doors while my husband manned the snowblower. With cleared steps, for the moment, Luci and I raced to the backyard and, using those ice-brick molds, commenced building a wall to hide behind to ambush Victor with snowballs when he finished with the walk. We built a great wall; it was three feet high. Tall enough for us to hide behind. Unfortunately, we hadn't prepared for the onslaught that awaited us. A snowblower throws out huge quantities of snow at pretty good speeds. After he hit us with the first wave, I grabbed my little guy, as any good mother would, and shielded him with my body. We emerged from our wintery cocoon waving a white flag- or at least begging for mercy.
It was so much fun. I promised Luciano we'd build the wall up again after school and before going sledding with friends. These snowy, really snowy, days are rare. Make the most of them.
Buddy is in the far corner, ignoring me, as I call him to come in!
The ruins of our fortification.
This is Buddy today, after school, waiting to go out into the snow again!