We’ve enjoyed a beautiful and heavy snowfall the last couple of days around here. I don’t know how much the news is officially reporting fell, but my kids said based on how high up their leg they sink, it’s at least 2.5 feet. It’s been six or seven years since we had such a massive snowfall in one day. We had a nice and relaxing day inside for the most part, though the kids enjoyed trekking out the main streets and watching how few cars were out. So fun!
And so peaceful and quiet, too. There are hardly any people outside, almost no cars, no buses or public vehicles. With snow like this, none of the streets are plowed, not even the main streets. My kids watched the snow plow get stuck and the driver had to jump out with a snow shovel and manually shovel himself out! Late Saturday night the kids were out doing some snow shoveling themselves. We don’t give our kids allowances, so if they want to have spending money, they earn it. This is one opportunity a couple of used to earn money.
I’m gratified that the desire to make money has not caused them to look at people as sources of money but rather people to help. Ds11 voluntarily shoveled the walkway of an elderly neighbor last week with our last snowfall (just six inches or so then) and then refused to take money when she offered it; she lost her husband several months ago and financially she’s very limited. Then dd13 and dd15 did her walkway tonight – that was a huge job, since it’s so deep now – and they were very happy that it was so late that she was sleeping and didn’t see them doing it; she’ll wake up in the morning to a nice clear path from her front door. They like surprises like that.
edited: we were happy to learn that things weren’t as they seemed. They kids had a lot of fun in the deep snow, and a couple of them stumbled onto a bit of…..a mystery. Those involved don’t know that they were seen and they certainly don’t know someone has tracked them and figured out some important details. There’s no one else who will know about this and it’s something that is pretty important; the ramifications of this information in the wrong hands are frightening. I’ll be making some calls to put this information into the right hands in the next couple of days and hopefully this can be used strategically to beef up security for the area that was concerned. So there was some excitement along with the fun!
When they were at the main street during the day (right before the above discovery), dd15 said she saw a car get stuck trying to make a turn. It took fifteen minutes for the driver to be able to navigate onto the road he was trying to turn on, and she said to me as she watched him from a distance in his shirtsleeves trying to push his car, she was reminded of what I tell them in the winter – even if you’re going to be going in a car, take your coat anyway because you might end up needing it. I’m sure that man would have been glad to have had gloves and a coat on! Consider that a reminder – when you travel in the winter, remember that it’s the winter and be appropriately dressed!
I was thinking how fortunate we are to have weather reports that are fairly accurate that allow people to prepare for weather like this. Most people don’t have enough food in their houses for more than a day or two; imagine if they didn’t have a warning that allowed them to stock up on what they needed?!
I hope you’re all safe and warm, and enjoying whatever weather you have! As I tell myself, summer and the heat will be here soon enough so we better enjoy all of the snow and ice while it’s here. 🙂
Avivah
It’s snowing here too, but just lightly. Thank G-d, my husband made it out of DC shortly before the airport closed. He arrived a few hours before Shabbat. Glad you’re all having fun! 🙂
Shoshana, my kids asked me where your husband ended up spending Shabbos. I told them probably a hotel in DC. Though I’m sorry we didn’t get to have him for lunch yesterday, it’s so much nicer for all of you that he was able to get home in time. 🙂
What is the hashgocha for the Golden Barrel coconut oil? I’m debating switching to coconut oil.
OU. I can’t say it’s high quality but it’s inexpensive and therefore has allowed me to totally replace processed vegetable oils. But even low grade coconut oil is a big improvement over the unhealthy soy/corn/canola oils that most people are using.
Totally off topic of snow (which we got in nice measured doses here)
While I’m on the topic (and researching) coconut oil…
I was on the Weston A. Price Foundation website and did some reading. I’m having trouble with comfortably eating saturated fat, especially since I finally got my cholesterol to a respectable level. Where else can I read up on this? It’s so ingrained in me that saturated fat is evil. I’m tempted to start up with coconut oil (especially hoping it will lead to weight loss) but I’m concerned with its’ effects on cholesterol. What other sources are worth looking into? Thank you!
Now back to your snow ball fight everyone {duck}
Here are three reputable and well researched blogs you can start with:
http://high-fat-nutrition.blogspot.com/
http://www.proteinpower.com/drmike/
http://www.marksdailyapple.com/
I think you’ll find it very interesting to learn that cholesterol isn’t the bogeyman it’s been made out to be, and that saturated fat isn’t causing the problem. When I was a very low fat vegetarian, my cholesterol skyrocketed from the mid 100s to over 360. No one could explain how it could be so high when I hardly was eating any fat and was so ‘healthy’ – I even blended prunes to use in place of oil when I baked challah! And I also got fatter and fatter when I ate low fat. 🙁
When my dh got back some cholesterol results that were high on his life insurance test a couple of years ago, I told him to eat a bunch more animal fats for the week until the retest was scheduled to take care of the problem. The results that time came back the second time had his cholesterol in a healthy range.
I know this isn’t why you eat coconut oil but if I am giving it a trial run to see if I feel a difference (energy levels, weight loss, healthier, etc..), how long do you think I would need to give it a trial run?
I can’t remember for sure what put my cholesterol levels within the healthy range for the first time in years (could it be the oats?). I’m afraid to get retested after changing my diet since I’ve heard nursing alone can elevate cholestrol levels.
I don’t know, Sara. Some people notice a change in body warmth and energy very quickly, some people notice weight loss happening soon after starting to take it. Some people like me aren’t good at noticing improvements until it’s hugely obvious. 🙂 But whether you feel the difference or not, your body will still be benefiting from having a higher quality oil to use as fuel.
I know it’s just anecdotal, but I switched over to strictly olive oil, coconut oil, and shmaltz about six months ago, and for what it’s worth, my cholesterol went down since then. Not that I had any problems with my cholesterol levels before that, thank G-d, and I’m a healthy young man, but I’m just sayin’.