Unplanned Day Off

It was snowing. Then it was raining. Then it snowed again. The 2-hour school delay got canceled at 7:15 this morning, to be replaced with a complete cancellation due to the potential white-out snowstorm forecast for this afternoon. Not only would school buses be on slick icy roads, but student drivers as well. I sleep in for an hour but then get busy. There's 3 inches of hard crusty whiteness everywhere. It's really heavy because it's not light fluffy snow. It's ice. I have to keep my back straight and shovel from the hips with my knees bent. Eventually, my right shoulder and elbow get tired.

I clear half my walkway and part of the driveway until I reach the mailbox on road. Miraculously, the newspaper has been delivered sometime this morning. I'm probably one of the few residents on this road who actually shovels. I know I'm the only woman who does. Everyone else uses a snow blower, or a leaf blower, or a plow truck. At least I can still talk my son into helping me. He's a good kid. Afterward, we sprinkle halite to maintain walkability. I'm glad I bought that 50 lb bag of ice melt last weekend!

After enjoying a cup of freshly brewed Danish Blend (Norwegians love their coffee, vodka, and herring) coffee, I wake my son up and tell him he has to help me shovel. No school today, but before he can retreat into his gaming den, he has to do some work. Temps rise into the high 20s and the sun is blazing. A cat suns itself atop a tarp-covered woodpile in our yard. I'm a bit worried that I won't be able to get my car door open, and suddenly realize why having a remote car starter might be a good idea in this region. However, as icy as my car appears, the doors work fine. Whew!

We clear the driveway, my car, the walkway, and front steps. My car is defrosted. There's a different cat sitting in front of the garage, meticulously cleaning its paws. No school tomorrow due to a scheduled Superintendent Day. It means teachers go in but students stay home. My son is thrilled. I still plan to go to the gym.

Suddenly, the sky turns gray and snow fills the air. Ugh. Yep, it's that white-out storm. Not really a storm though since there's maybe a half inch of snow after an hour. Of course, it's still snowing, so I don't really know how much of the white stuff we'll get. Meanwhile, my husband is in Boston and tells me his weather app forecasts temps at -9F. Brrrr...