It’s unbelievable! We got hit with a snow event even bigger than the one last week! This is very rare in our area, so I don’t think people took the weather people very seriously. After all, we have been promised snow many times and no snow showed up. So, all of the children went off to school Wednesday morning, as usual. People went to work. Around noon, it began.
By nightfall, we had over 4 inches. Incredible!
I have to say, it was very hard for everyone to get home. I was doing school with Ja’Ana and Alissa at Alissa’s house, around 20-25 minutes from my house when the flakes started falling at my house. Lovana called me a couple of times to tell me it was snowing. So, we finished up what we were doing and J and I started home. I decided to stop at the store to grab a few things were were out of, such as milk. I should have kept driving:)
By the time I had pushed my way through the people grabbing items, got the things that were left on the emptying shelves, and stood in a long line, the snow was pelting down, mostly in the form of ice pellets. But, I had my milk! I began to drive home.
The roads were clogged with drivers, all of whom were driving deliberately and carefully through the ever-falling snow. We got to go about 5 miles per hour in quite a few places and got all the way up to 20 in a couple of places. I spun my tires on a hill, but got up fine once the tires got a grip! For me, that was more than enough excitement! I have not left the house since I got safely home, between 45 minutes and an hour later. Then, we waited for Rob to show up.
He was at school and needed to ride the bus home with a child, as he normally does. They let out 2 hours early. He did make it safely, but it was much closer to his regular time–not very early. He was on that bus for a very long time and there were a few dicey moments, but it was all good for him. In Portland, Oregon, the story was a bit different. Some students did not get home until 11 at night, buses were sliding down hills, and traffic was gridlocked for hours and hours, taking some people 4-6 hours to return home. Glad I didn’t go to Portland that day, as I had planned.
I think the lettuce is finally done for:)
Each day since, the schools have been cancelled, the snow has melted slightly during the middle of the day, and frozen back up each night, with temperatures down into the 20’s. For many of you, that is nothing. For us, here–it’s so very, very rare it is a novelty. Rob drove to get Jake, my nephew, yesterday, with no problems. He will go drive around a bit today, just because he likes to. As for me, I’m content to sit in my warm, cozy house and enjoy the luxury of being able to cook and sew to my heart’s content! I just may finish Michaels’s pajamas today, and the meals that I have time to cook and pretty yummy, I must say–warm soups, home-made pizza, and more. All-in-all, it’s been a terrific vacation for me!
Similar story here – snow in the city is a novelty. Snow in the surrounding mountains, routine. Saw the newsclips from Portland and the sliding school bus going down the street and into parked cars, yikes. I’m like you – me and the dog stay inside during these storms. We only go out for the briefest ‘potty walks’ for him now. Waiting for snow here today – temp right now is -6C, unusual for us to get that cold. So do you give your kids snow days for homeschool? If so, that sounds fun. Stay safe.
I made them do school Wednesday since the schools did not let out. I went to Alissa’s house since her sister, Michaela, did stay home because she gets too much anxiety about snow. However, the minute the first snow flake started to fall at my house, Lovana called me and I started to wrap things up. (Their dad came home from an appointment and could hold down the fort). I had them do a few things Thursday (it maybe took an hour) individually, and then just called the whole thing off for Friday. The beauty of homeschool is that it is flexible and we can do extra another day to make up for the snow day without too much bother. I had planned to go to a play in Portland at the NW Children’s Theatre with the kids (2nd try–got snowed out the first time, too), but decided not to, thank goodness. So, since we did school Wed. am, when we weren’t planning to, we are actually in better shape than we could be. Yea! I feel like I got a vacation out of it, too.
I also saw that school bus sliding down the hill over and over and over, since I love watching the news during storms. We actually had a lot more snow than Portland, since we live in Salem and the storm came from the south, so I was glad once we all got home safely.
One of my roommates from college homeschooled her four kids, now adults, so I’m familiar with the flexibility. She did it all the way through high school graduation, although mid-way through hs, her kids started going to the local junior college as well. They all graduated with both their hs degree and aa degree at almost the same time. Three of the 4 went on to a 4-yr collegeand all graduated. The 4th had some learning disabilities so no four year school but went on to a trade school. All to say, I’m a believer in it. And also as encouragement to you to hang in through the tough parts.
Thank you. It’s a lot of work, but worth it to me to give the girls their best chance to succeed:)
OK, I admit as a Canadian I’m laughing, Becky. On Monday my daughter had a snow day (snowstorm was going all day) and Thursday night we had more snow, which added up to about a 5-6 inches by Friday morning. On Friday, our temperatures also plunged to -15C or 5F. I went to work on Friday. Our museum has a school Christmas program and all three classes were there (2 classes from 1 school and 1 class from another), with both buses traveling about 20-30 minutes to our museum (possibly more for the one school). I spent the day doing three village tours…out in the cold, showing them building that were not heated (they were kind and put the wood stove on in one building, but it really didn’t help much). Couldn’t feel my toes for most of the day, but the children had a great time! I even had a little boy buy me a gift from our gift shop to thank me for doing such a great job on the tour. It was so sweet…totally made my day out in the cold well worth the effort!
I know, I know……absolutely laughable from the point of view of those who get snow often:) I think even the weather people and newscasters who were doing live reporting for hours and hours in Portland were amazed that their small amount (much less than we got since we live further south and the storm came from the south) could gridlock the streets so badly. I think the problem was that the snow began to melt, created water which promptly melted, creating a solid sheet of ice that then got covered with snow. Lots of wrecks. Many of us (including me) have no clue how to drive safely on it, and many of us (including me) don’t even have any chains for my car, much less know how to put them on!!!!
I sure hope you had warm clothes to put on. I’ll bet the museum is beautiful for Christmas. It is nice that the little boy showed his gratitude. I’ll bet you were frozen!!!
Chains on tires are illegal here. I wouldn’t know how to put them on either.
I had layers over my layers to keep warm, so my feet and my cheeks were the only parts that really felt the impact of the bitter cold. The floor in one of the houses had to be replaced a few years ago and the new floor is finished with a coating of something (varnish perhaps?). With the snow on our shoes, it was like a skating rink in there. I had to ask the children not to slide around on the floor, so they wouldn’t get hurt or break something with an accidental fall. Made for an interesting tour, though! And yes, the village is beautiful with period appropriate, all natural decorations. Amazing what you can do with only what you can find in nature and a little creativity!
My goodness, that would be fun, but I get the dangerous part!! Plus, potential to slide into furniture, etc. Glad you got through it-you earned your money on that day!
Glad you all made it home safe in the snow. Was Patsy with you or does she go to public school?
She goes to public school, but it is really close to our house. (like 1/2 mile) When I drove her to school that morning, I told her “if they tell you to go home, go home. Don’t wait for one of us to get you–just walk home.” I was super proud of her. She did just that–walked home by herself in the snow. Although we drive or walk every single day to be with her during her journey home, this was the one day it’s great she was able to just go home. She would have been waiting for a very long time for me and/or Rob to arrive since it took us much longer than usual to get home.
Oh, wow! We have those times that the forecast is not taken seriously, too but the schools are often too cautious and the kids stay home for nothing. Glad you got home safely! What is it with men and snow? Three years ago my husband had a heart attack in January. We had snow in Feb and I looked out to find him shoveling snow! Grrrrr……. Our oldest son got stuck on snowy roads and traffic gridlock overnight a few years ago in Alabama. His cellphone ran out of battery and no one knew if he was okay until our DIL saw him walking up their driveway the next morning. His MIL sent him a car charger for his phone that day. This is going to be a strange weather winter. Yesterday it was in the 30’s here and today it is 71. Tomorrow the high of 41. Enjoy the snow while you can! I consider it a vacation, too!
My goodness–I would think a car charger would be in order, too:) That would be scary.
Your weather sure is fluxuating! I’ll bet your plants, such as roses and bulbs are SO confused!
I hope your husband it doing well now. Sounds like he was taking the advice to exercise a little too seriously:)
My husband is fine now but that was the scariest time of my life. Exercise at that point was strictly monitored at rehab. Some of our neighbors would come and check if he should be working outside for about two years afterward.
I’ll bet you were terrified. I’m glad it came out well.
HI Becky,
I saw the news footage too of the sliding cars and busses in the Portland area. I have relatives and friends there so I try to keep up with the going ons in that area. When an area is not prepared for snow it does make it really hard to get around safely. We have got lots of snow here and schools were delayed or cancelled due to the snow and ice. I homeschooled my kids through high school and I loved the flexibility if offered. Be blessed my friend.
I think that bus sliding was shown so many times–thankfully no one was hurt:) Have a great day!
We saw the sliding bus on our news here in Sc, too!
It was really shown a lot. Glad I am not that bus driver! Scary.
Living in the South, I have only driven in the snow twice. Both times my car turned around in a circle and since it was headed home, that is where I went. So I agree. I’d stay home too.
I would go home, too. Because I know I don’t know how to drive in it, I just don’t. I have a tiny bit of experience, though. I remember one time when I was headed home to our previous house, which was at a higher elevation, and the rain turned into snow, and stuck. I had to decide…..stay there until it melted or drive the rest of the way home. I’m happy to say, since I’m not still there, I made it, and with no problems, but it sure caused me anxiety!