The First Snow Day

The first snow day of the year is pure magic. It's a gift of a day, with no demands other than to relax and enjoy (and snowblow the driveway and keep the woodstove stocked, but the under 13-set is consummately unconcerned with such trivia). I knew a storm was moving in Wednesday, but figured at best it would mean an early release day for the girls.

"Or they might just make it a snow day, right Mom?" Bug pestered, despite my telling her repeatedly that "no, they'll probably have you go in for the morning."

At the 6:00 am alarm, I fumbled for the remote and turned on the living room TV, which was still residing in my bedroom pending, you know, a living room. (Since remedied! Stay tuned for finished construction pictures soon! Fine, SOONISH. We all know how I operate).

Both girls wandered down the hall and piled onto our bed as we watched the scrolling school cancellations at the bottom of the screen. And watched. And watched. Aaaaaaand watched.

Twenty minutes later, and I still hadn't seen a single familiar district number. Weird. Until I suddenly realized that I had no idea what district number I was supposed to be looking for, since our state had completely restructured and consolidated the school districts this past summer. I had a vague memory of newspaper articles that I'd skimmed over in July, while looking for the tide charts before going to the beach. I began to wish I'd actually read one.

I scrambled through the slag pile of lunch menus and school memos, hoping something had a district number on it. Finally, in complete frustration, I Googled, "What IN THE HELL district number is Town X, Maine?" And found it. No joke.

"SNOW DAY!" I told the girls. Bear immediately dove back into her bed and slept for three more hours like the teenager she nearly is. Bug ran to the computer to email the news to her Nana in Ohio.

After a late breakfast, we baked Christmas cookies, then wrapped presents, while the cats tiptoed delightedly through piles of tissue paper and ribbon.

Around lunchtime, once the snow was really beginning to pile up outside, we geared up and headed out to sled in the backyard.

Perfection.