Snow day

I grew up in Massachusetts and remember well the magic of the snow day: the anticipation, most of the time not knowing until morning whether school was canceled. Sometimes we didn't find out--always via AM radio--until we had already gotten ready. And then we spent hours sledding in fluffy white powder, trudging up and down steep hills. Heaven! I moved away in 1994, and while I make it a point to see and experience snow at least once every year, I haven't actually lived anywhere with snow since then. I was excited to have Oscar experience his first-ever snow day!

Panic began yesterday. Schools started two hours late and let out two hours early, though there was just a few flurries. In the morning, the line of cars to get into the Trader Joe's parking lot stretched down the street. Safeway had just one cashier furiously checking out a line of patrons stocking up on provisions. By the end of the school day yesterday, school for today was already canceled, and most workplaces made arrangements for employees to work at home or take the day off.

Though initial forecasts called for 5 to 10 inches of snow, we seemed to get the low end of that. But still, it's definitely novel and fun to look outside and see snow-covered trees. Seemingly everyone in the neighborhood headed outside with sleds, some even with just cardboard, to sled down the slope right in front of our house. (In fact, initially I was planning to walk to the big hills at Gasworks Park, but the proximity of our own hill won out!)

However, Seattle evidently is not equipped for snow removal, so the streets are still covered late in the afternoon. Few people have bothered to shovel out their cars. Tonight, temperatures are supposed to dip into the 20s, and icy commute conditions are predicted for tomorrow. No word yet on school closure, but keep your fingers crossed!