Friday 14 January 2011

Snow day


We knew it was coming, the snow day, but it was still magical to wake up to about a foot of snow on Wednesday morning. School had been cancelled the day before, so there were no early morning frettings about what to do, and we even managed a bit of a lie-in.

The Littleboys were outside by 8.30am for their first session playing in the white stuff (despite my mutterings of "it's far too cold, and you've got ALL DAY to play in the snow"). Meanwhile The Doctor and I were shovelling the driveway and scraping off the cars. It seemed a shame to break up that perfect, icing-sugar sea of virgin snow, but we know from experience that if you don't get shovelling while it's soft and powdery, it turns into utterly impenetrable slabs of ice.

By about 10, the boys were tired, and came in for a breather while I treated myself to a bowl of steaming porridge with maple syrup - a suitable breakfast after an hour of shovelling, I decided.

But they were outside again by 11 when the kids next door came round to ask them to play, all of them sledging down the hill in next door's garden with whoops of joy. By lunchtime every item of their clothing was sopping - gloves smelling of wet dog lined the window sills drying off, dripping ski pants and coats were hanging from the overhead lights. The hallway was awash with melted snow, and abandoned ski socks were strewn around the room.

After lunch, with the driveway now clear, the Doctor went to work. But there was no rest for me; the boys demanded another sledging session, and with the neighbours not around, we had to do it in our front garden, which has a nice gradient - the only problem being that at the end you either shoot down a bank straight into the road, or crash into a tree. Therefore this required me standing there to 'catch' them as they hurtled down the hill. I tried several times to persuade at least Littleboy 2 to come in - he was getting whiny - but they insisted on staying outside, even after I retired to the house.

It wasn't until darkness was falling, casting a soft blue light onto the snowfall, that they stomped back in, exhausted, red-cheeked and dripping wet (again) and demanded pieces of toast. ("I need something to warm me up!" insisted Littleboy 1, who refuses to try any kind of hot drink). They then wanted to 'do crafts'. At this point, surrounded by wet ski gear and laundry, I resorted to making a plea that would no doubt appall any child rearing expert:

"Can't you just sit down for 5 minutes and watch TV?"

Before the storm, a fellow mother had said to me: "Don't you just love snow days? Nothing to do but stay in your pajamas all day....".
If anyone knows how this is achieved, could they please tell me?

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

You start the day by making a fire in the fireplace. You roast marshmallows for breakfast and then you pull out all the board games you haven't played since the last snowday. Lay on the floor and play them with your kids. They won't get out of their pj's and go outside unless the sun comes out. Lovely way to spend a day.

diney said...

It sounds so lovely when you write about it, but I know only too well that it is not such a romantic ideal in reality for Mum who has to join in (Yaahoo) even when her head is throbbing and her back is aching but you don't want to be a spoil sport! (me, during our deep snow before Xmas which lasted for 10 days, sledging for 2 hours but only after 2 doses of ibuprofen!) and then, as you say, they want hot chocolate and food the nano second they walk in the door, leaving a trail of dripping socks, trousers, gloves, hats.....roll on summer!!!

Shirley said...

We've had a great deal of snow here of late and it gave us, the kids (now grown) and I, a chance to reminisce about winters past. The whole ritual of dresssing them up so all one can see of them are their eyes. They then spend an hour outside until their gear is too wet and cold, come in to dry off and warm up, mother at the ready. Only to repeat it again in an hour, and off and on through the day. In theory, it should be restful but with all the changes and such, it rarely is but it is what wonderful memories are made of.

Calif Lorna said...

What a great day. I love the fact that school was canceled the day before so you didn't have the worry of having to get up.

I'm always amazed when we ski all day that the boys then want to go sledging and then after that - go to the pool! I'm flipping exhausted.

Enjoy the snow!

Paradise Lost In Translation said...

I agree snow days are exhausting! My 2 have an insatiable appetite for snowball fights & tobogganing. SO does my husband but if it's a work day then it's yours truly who ahs to oblige & I am not quite so keen!

A Modern Mother said...

Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! Sounds like you had fun.

nappy valley girl said...

Anonymous - sounds lovely - only problem is my children don't like marshmallows (I know, unbelievable) and we don't have a fireplace! They are also a little young for board games, although it's coming. Maybe in a couple of years....

Diney - It's all fun really, but they definitely have more stamina than me.....

Shirley - yes, it's the taking it off and on again, constantly, that really takes it out of me. Particularly when you get them all dressed up, as I did after school the other day, and then one decides to come in after five minutes....

Lorna - yes, quite convenient of the school district really! Last year we were always getting phone calls at 6am.

Paradise Lost - yes, I definitely seem to have taken on the role of chief snow entertainer. How did that happen?

Cross the Pond - thank you! Stylish? what a compliment.

Susanna - yes, and we've since been sledding on a much bigger hill - the snow hasn't melted yet.

Anonymous said...

Congratulations! You've got winter kids! Good for you.

Nota Bene said...

Much envy and jealousy...we are just getting wet here

Tanya (Bump2Basics) said...

I can't see your boys wanting to stay in their pjs all day when there is copious amounts of snow to be played in! But catching them at the bottom of your lawn - you are brave!!