Finally... the weatherman got it right!

Seems the weatherman, FINALLY, got it right.   It came a blizzard ... well, okay.. not really a blizzard, but it did snow pretty heavy in our part of Mississippi.  That in itself is pretty darn amazing.   Don't get me wrong... we've had flurries, ice and a even got a delightful surprise snow in December where we woke up to a White Christmas... but typically..... if the weatherman predicts snow or ice... it always seems to miss our little pocket of the world... well, EXCEPT this time. 

Winter Wonderland.   Snowmagedon..  Blizzard.  Snow of the Century... I've heard so many nicknames for it... I felt like I was reading a baby name book... and of course, the weatherman (after getting it right - he was quite full of himself) had to add their dramatic flair to it as well and give it their own dramatic pause...     Call it whatever your heart desires, but the next few days should be fun with all of the snow - if it sticks around that long.  Temps are supposed to stay in the teens and not get above freezing... til the end of the week, so we might have our fill of snow by the time this is over.

 Several days ago, when the weather channel had reported that a winter storm warning was going to be in effect for our neck of the woods.. I didn't really give it much thought.  Did I mention that the weatherman usually gets it wrong?  So... not really worrying too much... and being somewhat under the weather... I didn't get fully prepared for the "storm" until sometime late Saturday.   Of course... by then... chaos had taken over our relatively calm town.  

I had made my list and headed to Kroger and Wal-Mart.  BOTH stores were packed and already running out of stuff.   Nothing like marketing ploys to take advantage of eager snow seekers! 
People were buying everything from the basics:  water, milk, bread, peanut butter... to scrapers, anti-freeze, charcoal, salt and garbage cans.  (yes, apparently you can cut off the top of the garbage can and sit in the bottom and it makes a pretty cool sled. )   You wouldn't believe the conversations that i overhead from excited shoppers trying to create the perfect sled... you know one that will really go.  I thought.... thank goodness my family hasn't started acting this crazy yet... which if you knew my family... is an understatement.  They are not about to miss out on any fun.   The rest of Saturday went relatively peaceful and we all settled in to wait.  Hoping.... keeping our fingers crossed that we were not going to be disappointed yet again.  

So, Sunday arrives with a cautiously optimistic attitude and after church,  my daughter looks at me and says... we are getting some vinyl.  I look puzzled and said.. for what?   She gives me a serious look like i have just grown 3 horns and says... to sled with on the hills.   Now.. in my mind, I am trying to figure out exactly what she's talking about - I am at a loss.  I guess my brain wasn't working properly... or maybe I am just that dumb.    So, I venture out... and said... okay... how is that going to work?  She excitedly informs me that  my sister-in-law was headed to get some vinyl as in floor covering so they could cut out "sleds" and throw themselves on it and slide down the hills.  (Now... there is a visual for you. or maybe the words... you might be a red-neck if... comes to mind.) 

Around 3 pm, no snow in sight, we decided to take a drive over to my brothers just to get "the plan of action" down.   We had no sooner, turned on the main road, until the skies opened up... and the snow began to fall.   Now, I have to admit up to this point, I honestly did not think we were going to get anything near what they were predicting... so, I was a bit overwhelmed at the size of these flakes.   My son and daughter (who by the way are both adults) start yelling with excitement as I am trying to concentrate on the road.   My brother lives about 10 miles from me... and by the time we pulled into his long driveway, the roads were covered, the driveway, the yard... THE SNOW HAD ARRIVED. 

As we got out... my son, (a 20 year old)  was running in the snow and my brother opens the door and yells loudly... DONT MESS UP MY BEAUTIFUL SNOW!  ha!  Hysterical.   Now.. as I listened to the plan for sledding... there was no doubt that my family was/is nuts and they along with every other person in town had gotten snow fever!!.  Seriously... VINYL... floor covering... but sure enough, my adult
children, sister in law, nephew and his friend took the vinyl into the driveway and pretty soon... hysteria ensued.   They were running down the drive, jumping on this vinyl and away they went.   then... they got BRAVE... they went onto the road... where there was a huge hill... and sure enough, slippin and a sliding all the way down... yelling at the top of their lungs.   Now, after the treacherous drive back home... and for those of you who know me... (you all know I cannot drive anyway) it was a very long 30 minutes or so that it took to drive 10 miles.   Can you say nervous wreck?  At this point, the snow had turned into sleet and it was mostly ice.  We were disappointed that it didn't last.. but I thought, well, at least they had fun for a couple of hours.  

Once we got home... my kids began trying to figure out how to make a better sled.  You know one of those super duper rocket fueled ones that would ZIP down those hills.  I kept telling them not to get their hopes up... because we may not get anything else.  Both of them in unison... its gonna COME A BLIZZARD!

 What could they use... and soon... they had more ideas and decided immediately that we had to go back  over to the rest of our family and share them...so after dinner... we venture back out, with the only agreement that I would not drive and we had to go in a four wheel drive... in the event we get stuck..  Now at this point, the SNOW is coming down in buckets!  Huge magnificent snowflakes and in droves.  I was in complete and total shock, simply mesmerized by all of this snow.  It had become a reality... the snow of the century was officially in FULL FORCE.   The yards, roads, everything...it was about 3 inches deep.   But, being the clampetts, all this did was fuel the excitement and determination.  No way are we scared of a little snow... so off we go.....

and what started out as a simple drive back over to visit quickly turned into...  NIGHT TUBING upon arrival.   As all of you are reading this, there are no adequate words to describe my family except crazy, fun, wild, complete and total chaos at times but most of all... resourceful  and inventive.  (Give my sister-in-law some duct tape, pvc pipe and wire... and she can create a masterpiece.)  ha!  Trust me.. that is a compliment!  She's the most talented person I know! 

 They decide to take the mule (not a donkey... but the atv kind of mule) and tie a rope to the back and get an old tire... and here they go..... 8 p.m. at night... the mule with 6 adults in it... and one on the tire..... into the darkness with nothing but the lights of the mule and the blinding white to guide them.  Clampett night tubing might become an olympic sport.   Now, most folks in the county would have used a "car hood" or something more adequate, but not us...  just a big ole' tire.  By the time we finally all got to bed that night.. the excitement of tomorrow held new meaning.  Bigger hills, faster sleds, snowball fights, snowmen... we were dreamin' big! 

Well.. dream no more.   Unbelievable.  6 inches.. 8 inches... some even reported 10 inches.  Looking out at dawns first light... I was simply speechless.   We had gotten our blizzard.  Snow everywhere.... and it was simply breath-taking.  My first thought was... I don't want anyone walking on my snow... its just too pretty to mess up and I realized... I might have a little more in common with my brother than I thought. 

I grabbed my coffee, ipad in tow, sat in my favorite club chair and logged on to facebook.  Seeing all of the posts and photos being placed made me giddy.  Absolutely giddy!  It seemed  everyone was taking a SNOW DAY.  Now, I know that there were many who actually worked today, but for the most part... it felt like the whole town had caught SNOW FEVER.  I could imagine how the day would enfold...   Families and friends creating make-shift sleds, building the ultimate snowman, or just taking walks - snapping photos and enjoying natures endless beauty.

... for myself... it was a day that reminded me... dreams do come true and spending time with our family and friends creating memories is truly what life is all about and it's precious and priceless.  There is hope, even with the weatherman... and sometimes... you get it right.  

Happy Snow Day.... and the next time the weatherman predicts snow or ice... I am going to make sure that I pay closer attention because who knows... he might go 2 for 2.