Snowing Sideways

This morning as I drove carpool, it was raining at a steady pace. By the time I exited the expressway, it was sleeting. On the way home, the rain had turned to snow. By the time I got to work, we had white-out conditions, and by the time our staff meeting ended, it was snowing sideways. That's pretty much the gamut of wintry weather, all in the course of a few hours.

Drew is in seventh heaven (whatever that means). He has been disgusted with the lack of snow in the various places we have lived. Sunday he even shoveled off the steps of the building without being asked, without grumbling (maybe I should stick a few bags of trash out there in hopes he will cart them to the dumpster!). I am happy for him though I can't say I share his enthusiasm.

Snow is pretty under the right circumstances. I love to see it sparkle underneath a blue sky on a sunny day. I appreciate the 'picture postcard' look of a New England town in a fresh blanket of snow. I enjoy a good snowball fight as much as the next. I used to do some snowshoeing in the woods when the snow was just the right depth to support without inhibiting progress.

But I have to say I get a bit concerned when the snow is driving sideways past the building and shows no sign of letting up. I stood in the Fireside Reading Room gazing out over the parking lot as the last rays of the sun slid west over the edge of the mountain. My car below is buried in a few inches of snow, and edged with a thin coat of glistening ice. How I appreciate the architect who included the fireplace in the plans for this building! I believe I will take my laptop and work by the crackling gas flame for awhile (I'm not too spoiled, but I am eating it up!).

Perhaps I can take a bit of the Brrrr out of the evening. Now if I could just figure out what to replace it with.