Winter Weekend

I am not a Winter person.

Not even a little bit.

I hate it, actually. I don't hate a lot of things, but Winter? YES. I want to punch it in the face.

Every Winter there is "that day". The day when I think I truly cannot survive one more day of Winter and will die before I see Spring.

This past Friday was that day.

The snow started falling on Thursday evening. I needed to leave the office right at 5pm so I could make it to the children's parent/teacher interviews that evening at 5:50, 6 and 6:10. The roads were already snow covered and traffic was crawling, and it was 6:20 before I reached the school. Most parents were delayed due to the weather so the interviews were pushed back. I missed Jordan's but arrived just as Sam's was ending, but got to be there for all of Julie's. Afterwards we took the children to McDonald's for dinner.

I set my alarm to get up early on Friday so I could leave in plenty of time to get to the office by 9. I was completely unprepared for what I saw outside. Ian shoveled a pathway to my car and started it for me. I headed off slowly, falling snow reducing any visibility. It took me forever just to get out of our subdivision. I stopped for gas and to buy a hot chocolate for the drive, then settled in for what I was sure to take me a couple of hours.

At the lights my wiper stopped working. There was no way I could continue without being able to see. I called Ian and asked him to start warming up the van and went home. I followed a snowplow all the way to my street, then got stuck in the snow twice before reaching my driveway.

I brushed off the van and headed off again. I couldn't believe how many buses I saw stuck in the snow, cars stuck in the snow, people struggling to walk along the unshoveled sidewalks. No visibility.

I made it to the office only 10 minutes late, surprised to see that we were almost at full staff. I was so glad I went in!

The owners let us go around 3:30. The parking lot was never plowed and we watched car after car struggling to get out. I didn't anticipate a problem with the van but I was wrong. It took me four tries just to get out of my parking spot, then I got stuck again when I tried to turn towards the exit, and again just at the exit.

I may or may not have used some words that were...inappropriate.

I stopped at the church to hang a sign advising parents that youth group was cancelled that night due to the weather, then went to pick up a pizza for dinner. I was parked and ready to go in when I realized I had left my bank card and credit card in the other car. I called Ian and drove home. By then I'd been in the car for close to 2 hours and was carsick. We both went back to get the pizza and to buy the kids a treat for shovelling the driveway. I was happy to be home.

I couldn't for the life of me figure out why I couldn't get the van warm enough. Turns out I had the a/c on. For pete's sake. Just when I think I can't get any dumber... I surprise myself.

I woke up early on Saturday morning to get the little's their breakfast so Ian could sleep in. He is always getting up with them on the weekends and during the night so I can get my rest, so I was glad to do this for him. In the afternoon we went to see Warm Bodies, a really sweet zombie movie.

A really sweet zombie movie?? Ha. But it was.

Saturday night I played chauffeur for Sam, dropping off and picking him up from a birthday party.

This morning I took the three older kids to church and Ian stayed home with Matthew. I arrived early (for a change!) and was able to chat with a couple of people before the service started. Great worship, great sermon.

This afternoon/evening Ian had a Batman-a-thon viewing party with Sam, Julie and the jr high youth leaders. They've been downstairs in Ian and Sam's man cave for hours! I hung out with Jordan and Matthew, and soaked up every single kiss and hug.

Our house is winding down for the night now, and I have the Sunday Night Blues. This week will be so busy at work as I continue to settle into my new (and temporary) responsibilities. Monday I'm meeting a friend for coffee, Tuesday is Sam's registration/orientation/whateveritis at the high school, Wednesday is my course and we're having a pot luck beforehand. I should be able to catch a breather on Thursday night.

I'm off to do my nails and get ready for bed. Maybe I'll watch the Grammys if I can figure out how to turn on my new tv...