Monday, March 2, 2009

Our first taste of snow


We had our first (and probably only) snow day of the season here in Georgia. In keeping with our crazy winter weather, Saturday was in the 60s and warm, but by the time we got out of church on Sunday, giant snowflakes were falling, and our cars were already covered with snow.

And I said the first thing that came to my mind, “I can’t drive in this!” If you’ve ever been down here during a “snowstorm,” you’ll know that I’m not alone. Fortunately, we only had a five minute drive home, and, on the way, I was amazed to see a snowman already waving at me. We Southerners can really take advantage of the snow!

Of course, I had to stop by the store for bread and milk. If you live here, you know what I’m talking about. The slightest hint of white stuff, and people rush to the store to stock up on those staples, and, apparently, chili fixin’s, too, because they were totally out of kidney beans.

In addition, someone at church told me to fill my bathtub up with water in order to prepare for the winter storm.

“What’s that for?” I asked.

“I don’t know,” she laughed. “That’s just what I’ve always been told!”

Once home, my kids piled on their “snow clothes.” Having just returned from skiing, one would think we’d have them in ready position. The truth is, having just returned from skiing, we’d had the opportunity to lose half of them. Nevertheless, I sent my children out with a hodge podge of clothing, which included one glove and one sock on the hands of my son. But, they didn’t care, this was the moment we’d all been waiting for—it was snowing!

I spent the remainder of the day snapping photos, drying clothes, making hot chocolate, and resetting the clocks every time the power went off (I think that has something to do with the bathtub full of water). It had been three hours, and I was beginning to be a little tired of wet stuff, no matter how pretty it looked.

I got my second wind, however, when my son burst through the door and announced that the little neighbor girl was making snow ice cream by adding vanilla, sugar and milk. Having a weakness for homemade ice cream, I braved the cold and asked for a spoon. I was about to dive in when my better judgment stopped me.

“This IS clean ice snow, right?”

“Yes,” my little neighbor friend said. “We got it off the top of the trashcan.”

I glanced around, waiting for someone to crack a smile. No one did.

Suddenly, I wasn’t so hungry for snow anymore. Good thing, I guess, I hear Friday’s temperature will be a balmy 74 degrees.

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