1/12/07: SNOW!

Early this morning I woke up to the unusual sound of the front door opening and closing. Looking blearily at the alarm clock, I saw it was just after 7 AM, not a time when the kids were up on most mornings. The light coming through the blinds over the bed and in the bathroom was brighter than usual, which meant that we probably had snow on the ground. Yes, the boys were going outside to revel in the inch of white stuff, and yes, the whiteness was reflecting the sun more brightly than usual through the window blinds.

When I came downstairs, T was building what he called a "snow meerkat" on the front porch railing, and J and B were playing soccer on what used to be the front lawn. All were dressed in the sweats they usually sleep in, but they had added gloves, hats, boots, and parkas to their pajamas before going out to enjoy the white stuff.

The meadow in front of our home looked lovely -- all untouched whiteness, unmarred by footprints or tire tracks. It was hard to make the kids go "down the hill" to go to church (B and I) and to go to Keith's office (he and the other three kids who needed to do their schoolwork) and leave the beautiful snowy scene behind us. Although I scraped the inch of snow off my windshield and back window, my car was still covered with a layer of snow by the time I got to Victoria Chapel in Alpine for Friday's healing service with Father Acker. His wife, Alice, laughed when she saw us drive in, and I told her that we'd had "a wee bit of snow" overnight. The day warmed, and sure enough, by the time we got home, the vast majority of the snow had melted, including all the snow in our yard. The kids were disappointed to not have any more snow to play in, although the remainders of T's meerkat still guarded the front door.

The snow was nice while it lasted. I'm sure that Sunrise Highway, the road leading up the mountain above us, will be packed with lowlanders coming up to see the snow (a rarity in Southern California), unfortunately leaving their tracks and their trash behind. The cold weather is remaining behind the storm, making us grateful for a working furnace (not always the case this winter!), burning candles, and a warm doggie with which to cuddle.

To those of you east of California, watch out! A cold storm is a-coming your way.