And Then There Was MORE Snow

View From My Kitchen Window

So, after an early school dismissal on Tuesday, we had no school yesterday and again today because of this Pax Storm or whatever they're calling it.  As you can see, I am finally able to enjoy a wintry scene from my window just like people in other parts of the country have been enjoying this winter.  Unlike thousands of Charlotteans, our neighborhood has not lost power (ice + tree limbs = downed power lines, unplowed streets = no repair crews restoring power).  It's toasty warm in our house, and we are well stocked with essentials such as food, milk, coffee, and dog food.

I have discovered that, once the snow gets thick enough,  the dogs can play in it without getting muddy!  If anything, they come in a little cleaner than they were when I let them out, and just need the snowflakes toweled off their furry coats so it doesn't melt when they come indoors.  This is a substantial improvement over the rainy winter days we usually experience in lieu of snow.



My Cul-de-Sac This Morning, Before the Snow Started Again

It sure is pretty, this white stuff!  The reason a moderate amount of snow is such a big deal in the South is that there are no snow plows or salt trucks to get it off the road.  It snowed all day yesterday, then sleet and freezing rain overnight, followed by more snow, and it's all still on the road, like a snow sandwich with a 1/2" thick ice burger in the middle.  Also no one knows how to drive in snow and no one has snow tires.  My kids can't even play in the snow, because we don't own sleds or appropriate snow clothing.  Anders just went out and tried to make a snowman and he lasted about 10 minutes.  He wore his winter coat, but he has no boots, no snow pants, and no GLOVES, so making one small snowball with his bare hands was enough for him.  He looks so disappointed.  :-(

I had signed up to bake cookies for Anders' Valentine's Day party at school tomorrow, and I'm wondering whether they will even have school.  The snow is supposed to turn into rain soon and then stop around 4 PM, with no more precipitation expected overnight, but temperatures won't warm enough to melt any of this and, as I mentioned before, there won't be any plows or salt trucks moving it off the roads.  It won't go away until it melts in the sun, and the back roads that are shaded by overhanging trees could still have icy patches into the weekend even if most of it melts away on Saturday.

Meanwhile, we'll just have to hunker down and enjoy it.  There have been a lot of winters in Charlotte without any snow at all, and usually even if we do have an inch or so of snow, it melts away within hours.  It's really neat to see how the snow transforms the indoors as well as outdoors -- there's a different quality to the light when it's reflected off the snow.  Everything looks different in my house.

Well, I think I'm going to plan for school in the morning, which means baking cookies and packing lunches.  It's better to be unnecessarily prepared than unprepared and scrambling in the kitchen at 6 AM.

Happy snow day, everyone!