Winter Wonderland

We are burrowed in under a blanket of snow here in Middle Tennessee, the biggest snowfall we have had around these parts in several years.

As it is with many southern states not accustomed to this type of weather, we go crazy when this happens. When the forecasts start mentioning snow, we hit the grocery stores as if we're preparing for a national famine, folks stocking up on eggs and milk even if they don't eat eggs or drink milk. Schools close. We stay home from work. We pretty much shut down.

One of the local TV stations actually preempted Oprah yesterday afternoon and ran an hour-long special on the snow. So this is serious business.

This time the weather forecasters got it right. It's Saturday morning and we've had the white stuff falling for about 24 hours. Here where I live, we have about four inches, with the last quarter inch or so consisting of ice. Some of our neighboring areas got as much as ten inches.

It's a lot different than it used to be, of course. With only one child left at home, and he being a 17-year-old, Wife and I don't have to worry about making make-shift sleds out of trash can lids, making snow ice cream and hot chocolate or keeping little people entertained and fed once they come inside from playing.

Late Thursday afternoon our county school officials made the decision to cancel school Friday. Wife had already joined all the other crazies at the grocery store (not to imply that she is crazy) earlier in the day and once Younger Son got the news he was pretty much out the door. He called in from a friend's house Thursday night and said he would check with us sometime Friday

Now remember, he's our last child, so he has the benefit of our being old and tired. As long as we have a reasonable assurance of his safety and whereabouts, he doesn't get much of an argument from us. Our older two often remind us how much easier we are on him. Can't help it, I tell them. I had nothing to do with their birth order.

Although it snowed fast and furiously for most of the day yesterday, I got out and went to my exercise class. Wife and I ventured out late yesterday afternoon and got some movies (another thing we all do when it snows). Not a lot of folks were out driving but, really, as long as you go slowly and carefully and have decent tires, it's not that difficult to maneuver if you want to drive. And even though we don't get this on a regular basis, our municipalities do have plows and brine, so they can get the main roads cleared.

Younger Son called about 6 p.m. and said he thought he would like to come home. He had been picked up by a friend when he left so I went and retrieved him. Again, no real problems as long as I went slowly. Wife made a pizza and salad for us last night, then we watched one of those movies.

This morning I am sitting at my kitchen table looking out on a beautiful wintertime scene. Ralph the Dog and I went for a short walk but he did not much care for it. After doing the things he needed to do he was right back at the door and is now stretched out comfortably on the sofa.

This doesn't happen much around here so, when it does, we try our best to enjoy it. Hope you enjoy these shots.