Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Why Today is a Snow Day

The automated messaging system called to let us know that schools would be closed today because of the impending blizzard.

That call came at 7 o’clock.

Last night.

The Things, however, decided not to take chances.

Right before bed they continued their long-standing “vague hint of a snowstorm” ritual involving poor fashion and kitchen utensils.

Thing 2’s teacher also didn’t want to take chances. Before she dismissed class yesterday afternoon, she gave them the following action list that if -- and only if  -- completed would ensure a thick, hearty snowfall overnight:

  • Flush an ice cube down the toilet. Not a problem as long as my Tanqueray and tonic doesn’t accompany it on the journey.
  • Wear your pajamas inside out and backwards to bed. Check. I’m generally good with anything that makes the little heathens actually wear PJs.
  • Put a spoon under your pillow before going to sleep. Check. Uh, double check to make sure peanut butter is first wiped off the spoon.
  • Sleep with your feet where your head should be and vice versa. Thankfully, My Love is in town so the kids won’t try to sleep in my bed with me. Thing 1’s feet can make an onion cry.

So if you are buried in the white stuff today, please blame my children. And our nation’s system of public education.

Then, use your non-shoveling time to read another snow-related essay of mine over on DadCentric called “Snow Brick Castles in the Air.”

First one there gets to use the neon green brick maker:

voila

21 comments:

  1. It's a little after midnight here across the Sound and it just started snowing. And a Tanq and tonic sounds pretty good right now. Seeing as I don't have to get up early for any reason tomorrow.

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  2. No snow around these midwestern parts, so I suppose the thing's ritual didn't reach as far west as it could have. Thank heavens for small favors. I'm sick to death of the anxiety of icy/snowy road conditions!

    blessings!

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  3. I didn't do my homework for last night's class so I prayed before I took a nap (priorities, ya know) and school was cancelled! The roads were a mess and it was cold and my bed was sooooooo warm!!! Don't tell my kids.

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  4. Is the fact that it is now snowing in the Midlands, UK also down to Thing 1 and Thing 2?!!

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  5. Snow days are a huge deal around here. Teachers take them more seriously than kids do. We get direct Satellite links and live news/weather feeds and everyone mans a station. It's storm team Homemaker until the news comes in.

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  6. My daughter woke this morning to tell me it was a snow day. Of course, she did this without looking out the window. When she saw the very light dusting of snow on the car she got pissed at me! WTF did I have to do with it???

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  7. Boy you guys to the south sure take your snow days alot more seriously than we do up here in the Great White North. If we do get a good storm all they do is cancell the buses. We live in town so you can imagine how happy my kids are when they were first informed that the "walkers" were expected to go on snow days.

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  8. I wasn't aware of this whole 'turn your pajamas inside out' routine until a couple weeks ago. Want to know how I found out? Nick Jonas. He shared that tidbit when he co-hosted Regis and Kelly. Since then, I've been sort of dwelling on the idea. I know. It's wrong. So is getting all my knowledge from TV, but I'm not going to stop either thing now.

    Hope you survive your snow day. I've got five of them under my belt this season. We are an army of strong, exhausted parents.

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  9. "Hoping for snow" is the same excuse my neighbor's 17 year old son gave her when she found a spoon in his bed. Hmmmmm. At least the Things have set a precedent for possible excuses during their teen years.

    At our house? The Hubby's flight home from a Salt Lake business trip has been canceled. He swears he is spending all his time trying to make alternative transportation plans. I swear I hear a ski lift in the background. Hmmmm.

    So here at home watching another 20" fall just a few days after the last deluge, it's me (popping the first of many Advil after Shoveling: Round 1), 2 kids (heading to the basement to get out every toy that has more parts than # of athletes at the Olympics: Legos, Barbies, K'nex, Doll House), a neurotic dog (who won't pee in the snow) and two kittens (racing around the house like toddlers on Jolt). Hmmmm.

    At least I have my buddy Jack. So, in an attempt to justify both drinking alone and run on sentences, I will be here at 5 if anyone wants to join me for Happy Hour. As long as we are snowed in, we may as well meet at Uncool's blog for a drink or two. After all, this is his Things' fault.

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  10. What is it with that pajama thing? My kid was told that, too - and it worked!!
    I love snow days. As a matter of fact, we're going sled riding soon.

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  11. I have yet to see school cancelled in Utah due to snow. I am going to have the kids try your recipe and see if it works...

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  12. You're to blame???!
    I hate this stuff, but we were due a big one.
    Wishing the plows drop the snow high in front of your driveway to make a really good snow hill!

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  13. we are very much snowed in over here too.

    {I also got that phone call at 7 o'clock the night before school was closed!}

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  14. Excellent work with spoon, pajamas, ice, and all. Now Bossy knows who to thank.

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  15. Yes, lots of snow around here, about a foot. I guess all those "tricks" worked. Unfortunately for my youngest, who's in hs, the administration didn't care about the weather. No snow days for her. Now she doesn't care if she sees another inch. Love the green neon thing.

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  16. With my students I skip all that crap and just plant the following seed: 'you know kids, it's gonna be REEALLLLY cold tonight, so HOPEFULLY no one will hose down the bus lane before 7am tomorrow...' Even ice allows for a snow day in Texas.

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  17. Snow? Isn't that a myth?


    Aloha ha ha, Friend!


    Comfort Spiral

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  18. Wha? That's a funny list of actions :-) We got a few inches yesterday, but that was it. I've been itching for a big storm like they're getting on the east coast. Blah. Oh well.

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  19. Just got the call for tomorrow: Snow Day #3 (and let's not forget the long weekend). Alone or not, I opened the Merlot. Cheers!

    And please keep the Things away from all eating utensils in the future.

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  20. thankfully, you kid doesn't going to school anywhere near mine. Today: 65 and sunny

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