What a bunch of wimps!

[averygoodun42]

It's snowing. There's been about 4-6" accumulation so far. The temperature is hovering around 32 degrees. As of 9:30, when I went out, all the main roads were clear, and most of the side roads were clear as well.

But it's a snow day.

Um... Since when did New Englanders become such wimps about snow?

I suppose since all kids started getting carted to school in buses and cars... but still. Sheesh.


Usually, I look for any excuse not to go out, and snow is a pretty reliable one around here. However, I really wanted to get over to Building 19 today to pick up the best thing I have seen since sliced cheese. Two-piece footed fleece pjs! The only bad thing about them that I can see is that the tops are pull overs, but that's negligible.

Two-piece fleece pajamas! For toddlers! For less than $10 each!

Yes, I'm excited. Yes, it's somewhat lame that I'm so excited, but oh well.

I also wanted to get out to the store for a new pair of reading glasses. I'd picked some up on Thursday or Friday, but scratched them on Sunday in church, so I needed a new pair.

Speaking of Sunday and church, it was a surprisingly good day. I say surprisingly because when I woke up at 8:30, listened for Babe, didn't hear anything and so told Geoff, when he made motions of getting up to just go back to sleep. I didn't want to wake Babe up, and there was very little chance of getting to church on time for choir practice.

I forgot, however, that Geoff teaches RE and needed to be there at 9:45. Oops.

So I woke up again at 9:00, remembered that and realized that choir was a lost cause. Geoff was soundly asleep at this point, which was very good. He needed it. But it looked like he wasn't going to get to church for his class, and there was no time to contact anyone about Geoff missing it, so I got up, figuring I better fill in for him.

So, I did.

I think Geoff's overactive sense of duty has rubbed off on me, because there is no way I would normally volunteer myself for any kind of childcare activity. Especially when I know that at least one member of the class is an overactive nightmare.

But... I did. I grabbed Geoff's book and went in.

I should point out that I knew that Geoff was not leading the class that day, and there are two other adults who oversee the class with Geoff. I knew I was going to be relegated to helper. And that was the knowledge that got me volunteering. As it was, I helped a lot more than I thought I would, and it was all okay. It helps that the kids are 5- to 6-year-olds, so they can communicate pretty well. :-)

Anyway, after class, I went to coffee hour and found out that only one second soprano had been there to sing. The songs for the day didn't have heavy divisies (sp?) but there was one, and on practice on Wednesday, I had actually managed to hit it pretty well. (It helped that the tenors and sopranos' parts were the same, and one of the second tenors with a distinctive and powerful voice was there...)

So anyway, I said I was sorry to have missed singing and got several people, including the choir director, saying they missed me, too. That was nice. To be missed, that is, not the having missed singing bit. :-)

And then I went to a meeting. The meeting is what really made it a good day. It was the first meeting for the new health care committee, i.e. the committee dedicated to bringing about decent health care for all Americans. We've got some good ideas as well as influential, well-connected and motivated people (and HR 676, which isn't perfect, but is better and already has the support of 80 congressmen!) on our side already. We're also going to hook up with some of the other operations around the state, which, in turn, are connected to national organizations all dedicated to bring about good, affordable health care for all.

Mostly, it was just introductions, but we've got some projects planned already, and just in time for the primaries. Whee!

So. I'm jazzed about that.

It was late when I got home, and when I did, M&M were already here bearing gifts, including a gingerbread house kit! So we all had fun building and decorating that, then I made a decent dinner (big chicken, roasted with carrots, turnips and potatoes, with thawed strawberry and blueberry pavlova for dessert) which we all enjoyed (the chicken was perfect!) even without the gravy (which, as usual, was a miserable failure).

That's a poor description of the day, but it was full of good cheer and friendship, which was very nice. Far, far better than Saturday.

And now I've just come back from Babe's three-year check-up, and he is basically perfect. Still in the top 85th+ percentile for height and weight. Both the doctor and nurse were completely charmed by Babe and his fascination with the stethiscope and hearts. The whole visit was much shorter and more satisfying than usual, so I'm pleased about that, as well.

And that's about it. I'll try writing more today, drabbles or otherwise, but can't promise anything. What i would really love is to get painting, but I don't think that's going to happen. Too bad, as there are several sunsets in my mind just waiting to be abstracted.

*shrug*

Comments

[millennia2.livejournal.com]

Seriously, a snow day? LOL.

I'm glad you had good Sunday.

[averygoodun.livejournal.com]

Yeah, seriously. LOL, indeed!

Thanks. I'm glad too. I hope yours was okay as well!

[muggle-prof.livejournal.com]

Here in the south,** all the weatherman has to do is mention there's a tiny possibility of snow, and everyone panics. Seriously, they've cancelled school just because snow was possible, and several times in my memory the kids ended up getting a day off for no reason, because the snow never showed up. At least you had something on the ground.

(** and in our defense, 'cause we do get sneered at a lot, we don't have snow plows, etc., sitting around waiting for the once-in-a-decade snowstorm, so real snow is more of an issue than it is in makes-economic-sense-to-be-prepared New England...)

[averygoodun.livejournal.com]

I would expect this kind of snow paranoia in the South. It makes sense there since it is a less common experience. But here... it is to be expected, we are prepared (plowing crews started before dawn), and yet... It's dumb, is what it is.

That, or there may be some political shenanigans going on. The teachers in this town are working without contracts right now, so they may be using what power they have. Snow days are a powerful statement since it requires lots of people staying home from work to take care of the kids.

I wonder if that's it. Otherwise, they're just wimps.

[evieeros.livejournal.com]

ZOMG. Wish I had your weather. It's snowing here too. We have had about 12" of accumulation in the last hour. It just took my 30 min to drive 5 miles to get to school. >.< As long as you go slow (as in less than 10mph) it's fine. But people are asshats and being all 'but I have an SUV', so happy I don't have to go anywhere on the expressway today!

[averygoodun.livejournal.com]

I'm not complaining about the weather here! I just don't understand the... panic. Surely, surely they know that just because you are getting pounded doesn't mean that we will be? There's 'mountains' and warm air and all sorts of things between here and there that mellow the weather out. It's like expecting a category four hurricane to hit up here. It may still be a hurricane, but it won't be that severe.

And yeah. People forget that snow means slow. Sure, if you have an SUV you can go forward better, but braking is still going to bite you in the butt.

[evieeros.livejournal.com]

I knew you weren't complaining I was just laughing at the panic-ing people. Granted we don't normally have this much of an abrupt introduction to winter but it seems that people FORGET what winter is every year. OMG snow? Oh noes the world is ending, I can't drive, close the schools, etc! And I'm going... um hello? you live in one of the snowiest parts of the country and somehow FORGOT that snow comes every year? LOL

[dickgloucester.livejournal.com]

Sounds like a nice day - I'm pleased for you.

What is it that goes wrong with your gravy?

[averygoodun.livejournal.com]

It was. :-) (Sorryfor the delay in responding.)

Um...everything. Just... everything. *sigh*

[zalena.livejournal.com]

The snow missed us completely. I was rather looking forward to it.

[averygoodun.livejournal.com]

I imagine you're not looking forward to it anymore, though... :D

[zalena.livejournal.com]

Thbbbt! ;p

[bluzkat.livejournal.com]

No snow here, but with the whisper of the possibility of freezing rain Saturday night, the grocers were sold out of bread and milk by noon on Saturday Ah, the season is just beginning.

[averygoodun.livejournal.com]

Hee. It still takes just the hint of the "N" word to clear out the stores here. Fortunately,this was just a snow storm. :-)