#sol17 It's Coming!

-------------WINTER STORM WARNING-------------

At some point today, the snow will start. The winds will blow. The roads will be slippery. And we will go home.

The thing is, it probably won't start until later this afternoon. The warning now starts at 3:00 pm instead of noon.  But that won't stop the inevitable question:

WHEN ARE WE GETTING OUT?

Phones will be held at their sides out of my sight, computers will be open to the weather page and to one of the TV stations that post school closings. The whining will start with the first early out, "Everyone's getting out but us!"

I will again post this on my board. It answers both their questions: Will we get out early today? Will we have school tomorrow? I prepare myself for the whining.

Oh! But wait!  I won't be in the classroom today!  I have a sub and a student teacher who will handle the whining and complaining!

I won't have to tell them to put their phones away and get back to work!

I won't constantly have to answer "the" question and listen to the whining!

I think I'll still post the note....

6/31 Remembering ALOHA

Join the fun of the March Slice of Life Challenge at Two Writing Teachers

Back in January, I chose my One Little Word...

ALOHA

After our visit to Hawaii over Christmas, I want to remember to keep that 

ALOHA

spirit with me all year.  This winter has proven to be difficult and lately, it's been hard to keep the spirit. The eight inches of snow Tuesday night and no school on Wednesday was staring me in the face and daring me to defy it.

So I did. 

I took Chloe for a walk. 

She was hooked up outside, watching my husband blow out the driveway for the umpteenth time this winter. I had scraped the leftover snow from the cement part of the driveway.  

For once, it wasn't below zero. In fact, the sun had a hint of warmth to it, so I thought, "What the heck?  Let's go for at least a little walk."

I reached inside the front door and grabbed her leash.

As soon as she saw it, Chloe went nuts. I wish I had a video.

She jumped. 

She grabbed the leash in her mouth as if she was going to walk me. 

She tugged. 

She stopped and looked back at me, as if saying, "Hurry up. Let's go. I haven't got all day."

Words of caution from my husband rang in my ears, "Be careful. The roads are icy." We took off down the street in front of our house. My very first slice of life post kept running through my mind.

It was a great walk. Although we went very slowly (well, I went slow. Chloe wanted to run the whole time), it felt good to be outside. And it was pretty. Fresh, new snow. The beginning warmth of the sun. People were outside! 

Chloe had a blast. She pranced the whole way. Smiling at being able to be outside again (even she doesn't like the below zero stuff we've had forever). I laughed at her tugging at me, wanting to run. There just isn't any place for her to go right now.

Once we got back to the foot of our driveway, I let go of the leash.

She raced as fast as she could to the house, to my husband as he finished the last of the shoveling. She ran circles around us as we stood there laughing at her antics.

The walk reminded me to appreciate what I have and the world around me. To accept that I can't change the weather or the snow days. I can only change my attitude towards it.

Sometimes, you just have to run in the snow....

ALOHA

A, ala, watchful, alertness 

L, lokahi, working with unity 

O, oia'i'o, truthful honesty 

H, ha'aha'a, humility 

A, ahonui, patient perseverance

5/31 The Never Ending Winter

Beautiful, isn't it? Like one of those postcards you often see. If I could have gotten to the road, you'd see it is snow covered, with just a track or two.....

Pristine. White. Undisturbed

I'd prefer SNIRT...that dirty snow on the edges that prove snow is melting and spring is coming.

The weather guy on one channel this morning
said there is about 18 inches of snow
on the ground
throughout their viewing area.

I've got news for him.

We have more than that.

Another 6 inches or so last night. A winter weather advisory, 2-7 inches predicted. We, of course, received the high end.  20 miles away, they received an inch and a half. It's been that way all winter.

Last week's storm destroyed our crabapple tree. The one you can see shining pink for five blocks as you drive down our street in the spring

Please, winter. Enough already.