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
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