(A Work in Progress)
To anyone in the northeast today’s contemplation on snow will be abundantly lucid.
As I trudged through, gloveless and with boots only as high as a Chuck Taylor high-top, I began to contemplate all the significant events that happened to me around snow days – not just snow days, but snow storms.
I drove 80% of the island of Newfoundland in a blizzard. From Port Aux Basques where I debarked the ferry – thinking now how it could have capsized in the treacherous North Atlantic – to Argentia, my destination in about seven days. Usually it only takes seven hours to traverse the island on the trans-Canadian highway.
In Newfoundland snow generally falls from November thru April… part of my job was to maintain the equipment that removes it… as well as removing some of it myself.
The day I came home from school to find the soon-to-be mother of my children in my house. I took that as a sign. Who knew it would dissolve… but it was fun while it lasted, at least the first few years.
My first child was born during a snow storm.
And, I recall vividly, once again trudging through the snow – possibly a foot of it or more – to buy my infant son diapers. How did we run out before a snow storm?
Anyway – the house is warm, the lights and music are on. I can treat myself to some warmth today, sleep late, maybe mix another CD, and maybe relax. Take a SNOW DAY!
UPDATE #1: 12:30PM
My eyes open and at first I can’t tell whether it’s still snowing, or whether what I see is snow being whipped from the rooftops! YIKES… it’s STILL snowing. I’m telling myself, “I’m SNOW TEAM!!!” Get out there and remove that snow! Where are my freekin’ gloves? I can’t find or haven’t found my main pair OR my back up pair. I’ll locate them I suppose. But first – perhaps hot chocolate for a change, or even the usual tea.
The City’s “CLOSED!” The local TV stations have dispatched their own version of “SNOW TEAMS” around the city and suburbs to show up images of snow activity… the usual stuff, people digging, comments about the snow, vehicles stuck, sliding, making unplanned contact with each other. And I gotta SHOVEL!!! How many more winters will I endure here before I make up my mind to follow the birds and fly south?
