Last night going to bed, I knew that there was a pretty good chance there was going to be a snow day today. With both my daughter and I in the school system now, I take notice even more. I remember as a kid my brother and I huddled around the radio, or sitting in the living room glued to the tv, just waiting to see SAD #22 flash across the screen. Instant high fives and shrieks of joy would be heard throughout the house. We spent most of the snow day outside… sledding, snowball fights, building snow forts. We would come inside for some lunch, and watch some good “old fashioned” 90’s tv as we thawed out. I have memories of cross country skiing with my brother in the woods behind our house. One time we somehow got off the trail, and I remember we were lost, or at least we thought we were lost. I think I was about 11 at the time, and I remember thinking how worried my mom was probably feeling. Although I think the total time we were “lost” was probably only 15 minutes.. but I still remember it to this day!
Having one child, snow days are a little different than they were for me growing up with a sibling. However I try within reason to really help her savor the true essence of the snow day. She got a new LL Bean snow tube for Christmas which we have used on some good local hills so far this snow season, but today I didn’t feel like venturing out on the roads. We still had just as much fun on the tiny hill in our “city” yard. She thought it was the coolest thing when we went back outside at dusk and did some sledding at night when it was almost dark. As we were outside making snow angels, throwing snowballs, and just being goofy, I heard her exclaim, “This is the best day ever!”, and that my friends, is what makes my heart smile.
The Maine Way of Life 