Psst! Want a shovel?

Yesterday it snowed all day. Now I realize other parts of the country have lots of snow. For us, however, this was our first really big snow. And things went pretty much as expected. People slid off the roads. People had accidents. Schools were closed. Children went out to play in the snow. (Have you ever noticed that's the one time children voluntarily play outside?) And the rest of us hung out and watched the flakes come down.

I'll admit that I've enjoyed the snow more in the last few years that perhaps I should. You see, I have a secret. I live in an apartment now so I don't have to shovel snow. And I work at home so I don't have to put on snow boots, get dressed in warm clothes, and clean the car before slip-sliding to work. So it's quite easy for me to enjoy the snow now--from inside.

We lived in upstate New York for nineteen years and I shoveled my share, believe me. Once all the children moved out, there wasn't anyone else to do the job. I drove the house hunk to the bus station at 4:30 AM and dropped him off. And I picked him up at 6 PM. That doesn't leave much time for him to do much snow shoveling. So it was usually up to me to take care of that little chore before work.

Some years we had very little snow (rare, very rare) and other years we had enough snow for three years. I have pictures of the house hunk standing on the porch (which was a good three feet above the ground). The snow was piled so high that all you can see is his head.

I think I enjoyed being outdoors in the snow a lot more when I was a lot younger. Snow seems to be something that the very young enjoy.

But I admit that I enjoyed watching it fall yesterday. And I'll enjoy looking out at the back yard, seeing that pristine white cover over all the dead grass. Spring will be here soon. Grass will turn green. Flowers will bloom. For just this moment, though, I'll enjoy the last blast of winter.

anny