Blizzard in the panhandle of Texas. Photo courtesy of my mom and dad.
Right now all of central Oklahoma is asking where in the hell is all the snow?
Yesterday, people got a little crazy in their anticipation and emptied the shelves at Wal-Mart, canceled clients for the next day and cooked a weeks worth of meals in preparation for being snowed in until mid-March. The University even canceled classes at 1:30 yesterday to allow students to walk home before the freezing rain and wind blew their little Nike running shorts off. What the hell, people?! It’s just snow. Everybody got their panties in a twist over nothing. I know, I know, better safe than sorry but this hysteria is getting out of control. I blame social media.
Last week we had freezing rain and got a snow day out of that because the buses couldn’t run at 6:30 a.m. I get it…you need to pick kids up safely. By 9:00 a.m. it was 40 degrees and the streets were clear. Whatever happened to “late start”? Don’t tell me it’s a logistical nightmare. Get some procedures in place and make it happen. We can build a tunnel that goes under the ocean from the UK to France but we can’t get kids to school at 10:00 a.m.? Come on.
At the risk of sounding like the old geezer who proudly complained all the hardships of childhood…when I was a kid it took a Day After Tomorrow scenario to call a snow day. Now we get a light dusting and everybody races to Sams for a 64 pack of toilet paper and 10 pounds of ground beef. While you’re there pick me up one of those giant boxes of frozen cream puffs. Oh my god those are so good.
While I loved a snow day when I was a kid I equally loved going to school when there was 8 inches of snow. Our parents let us bring our disks to school and we would sled at recess. No such thing happening at our school. They don’t even let the kids go outside for recess if it is below 40 degrees. Don’t give me some sob story about not all the kids having a warm coat because I know for a fact that Operation School Bell at Assistance League has coats coming out the wazoo and would love to provide one to every single needy child in the school district.
Remember moon boots? We wore big, clunky boots to school with a pair of tennis shoes in our back pack to change into once we got to the classroom. Because she knew I would get cold and wet at recess, my mom made me wear sandwich baggies on my feet inside my boots so my socks would stay dry. Sandwich baggies!
Now this is what I call a snow day. My parents sent me these photos from their house and neighbors house after a blizzard hit the panhandle of Texas yesterday.
Chris Carter
OMGOSH how I LOVE this post!!!! I absolutely AGREE!!! We also had a “snow day” for freezing rain and by ten, it was forty and all the streets were FINE!! I thought the very same thing…”really? No late start instead???” I hear ya sister!! Back in the day… it took a BLIZZARD to stop education. Ridiculous!! Love the pictures…SO awesome!
Hugs, Kisses and Snot
Glad I’m not the only one! Don’t get me wrong…I love snow days…but I need lots of snow to make it worth it.
Sarah
Love this – you have a talent for writing. My husband grew up in the panhandle of Oklahoma and they would go to school in 20″ of snow. I have been in “white out” conditions and that is not fun. Now my kids think if it snows a little they will get a snow day. Geez.
Margi
In Minnesota, we only had legit snow days. Even then, it was considered just a normal part of winter to be out in the cold and snow. Bundled up head to toe? Check. Bread bags (oh yeah, very classy) in our boots? You betcha. Snowdrifts so high you had to climb over them to get to school? You better believe it. It’s nothing like the “Storm Watch 2013” frenzy that we have here in California when we get our first rain of the season.
crazytraintotinkytown
I love the sound of those sandwich baggies!
Heather
Hi I’m Heather! Please email me when you get a chance, I have a question about your blog! LifesABanquet1(at)gmail.com
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