As I write, it’s snowing, for the second day in a row. It snowed all night as well.
The accumulation after such a protracted precipitation should be much more than we are seeing around these parts. Still, the snow-starved among us are happy for the view, the way everything slows down, and for the stillness of the mantle. Naturally, we hope for more and for some sustainability in it, but one never knows.
Who doesn’t love a snow day? Okay, many people don’t. Still, as an infrequent offering, we should look at it as such, good or bad, especially because we have no power over it. For snow lovers, as we have learned to never look a gift horse in the mouth (although that would have worked well for the Trojans) we enjoy all we can and many of us just wish we had time to enjoy more of it.
Many of us also use the day to remember the people who need our help, especially in weather such as this. We can make a snow day donation to our favorite food pantry, shelter, or charity. It’s as good a reminder as any.
Being snow-packed has other hidden perks. It gives us a chance to get to those tasks we often put aside in the bustle of even our average days. The younger people can send the kids out with their snowball makers and the family dog. I mean, one can only get so far so fast when the snow is deep and their legs are still short … especially the dog. That leaves a brief moment when we can embrace a pause and tackle that piled up paper work or sift through a bin or two from the attic.
Recently, someone asked me if I knew any good ways to jettison useful stuff – no longer useful to the owner – without the hassle of a yard sale or toting things to a drop spot. Many years ago, Chatterbox talked about the warmth of a house-cooling. It was a fabulous idea then, and it’s held its own in terms of great ideas.
Plan a weekend in the good weather, invite friends and neighbors, toss some hot dogs on the grill or throw a potluck dinner. Your people come, look at what you’ve got that’s up for grabs, and, instead of bringing you something for your house, they take away something for theirs. It’s a win-win, and it’s fun too.
We’ve often talked about the sentimental reasons we keep things, and they are valid, but when someone really needs what we are merely holding on to, it’s the right time and the perfect reason to let it go. Besides, when Old Man Winter gives us the perfect time to sift through more than just snowflakes, we can hardly argue with such a perfect opportunity.
It’s a great feeling when we watch our friends, family and neighbors chit chat over our pretty things and useful tools, and fill a bag with things they love … things we once loved and may still love, but are new to, and needed more by, their new owner.
True, our house cooling may still require masks this spring, and social distancing, but that is a mere technicality to which we have become very accustomed.
So, yay … it’s a snow day ... however we use it.
Chatterbyte: On a sadder note, we see that there is unrest among some factions of the American people who are now protesting our hard-won vaccine. If all will permit me, I feel it necessary to share my confusion.
We know which group the protesters were reported to be, but even if it were a mixed group, we can’t deny there was an about-face in their advocacy. Any protesters who were pro-Trump, they who believe he pulled off this instant miracle of a vaccine, should only support the people using it. Any protestors who were not supportive of Trump and his claims of being the man who made the vaccine happen, understanding it has been built on years of SARS vaccine research, are pro-science, pro-safety, advocating distancing, quarantining and masks. So … same question.
Most important, we must all understand that, personal beliefs, doubts, and/or misconceptions aside, personal opinions can’t be allowed to affect the health and safety of others.
We can’t allot our vaccination to someone we may love more than ourselves so, when our turn comes, getting the vaccine and helping to halt the spread of this deadly disease is the only responsible thing to do.
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