We survived the Blizzard of 2016. The aftermath...well that is a different question.
I have lived in the DC area for the vast majority of my life. I have lived through several big snowstorms. I have endured mockery from the more northern areas of the country about how we can't handle the snow. Maybe not directly, but I know you northerners are out there, mocking me, as part of the whole DC area. I have enjoyed days off from school at all levels, including several days in college and even a few during law school. I have been stuck at home, because of snow and because of school closures and no child care. I have seen many things, and learned even more.
As I sit here in my house, with the Boys upstairs, probably on some electronic device, and the Wife getting a little weepy watching A River Runs Through It, I can't help but wonder, will my Boys ever go back to school? Last week, they were off Monday for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Tuesday for a teacher workday, Thursday because...well, I don't even know, and Friday, to keep school buses from joining the mass return home early Friday afternoon before the blizzard hit. This week, they are off at least through Wednesday. I feel confident saying they will not be going to school Thursday. Friday is a question mark, but I would be surprised if they go. As long as we are counting, that is one day in two weeks. People are calling it Winter Break Part II.
I had a few of these when I was in school. My Middle Brother's senior year in high school included 2 week break very similar to what we are experiencing now. I remember this quite well, because he had to end the year on a normal schedule, because graduation couldn't be changed, while I was making up snow days until early August. I heard in both college and law school that snow days never happened. Mason Law was practically bragging about never closing. I had snow days during 3 of my 4 years in college and the Blizzard of 1996 kind of shut up Mason, as we had almost a whole week off.
Those northerners I mentioned earlier are always mocking, laughing and bragging in their own right. Someone posted on Facebook that buffalo calls days like these "Tuesday" and that schools start on time the next day. Fairfax County gets more than their fair share of criticism for the unenviable task of deciding what is safe for almost 200,000 students. I have spent the majority of my time discussing this defending Fairfax County. Last Thursday was an exception. This week is not.
We are lucky. Our street was plowed a couple times Saturday during the storm, and several times Sunday after the storm. We could get out by Sunday night. Monday morning the Wife was able to go to the grocery store to get food for the week. As of last night, there were streets all over the DC area that had not been plowed. Even in places like our neighborhood, that have been plowed, things are crazy. Our street is basically one lane. If the Boys have school there is no where to stand while waiting for the bus, except on the four lane road at the entrance to the neighborhood, which is really only about three and a half lanes right now. We went out earlier today and most of the roads that are cleared are only about half cleared. This is going to be a mess for while.
I spent most of Saturday watching the snow. I shoveled some, but it was a little depressing, because an hour after shoveling, there was an inch of snow on the ground. Take a break for lunch, and it barely looked like you had done anything. Thinking back now, I barely remember Saturday. Sunday was shoveling day. I shoveled non-stop until we could get two cars out. I finished in time to watch the football games, but I was done. Monday was more work. I had to re-shovel the end of the driveway that was covered by a snowplow, and Eldest and I cleared a fire hydrant. Today, I cleared space for the mail truck. Luckily, it is not cold, so things are melting. The shoveling is tiring and I am sore, but the hardest part with this storm is deciding where to put the snow. There is too much. In my neighborhood and on the streets.
The Boys have had an on and off time. They have spent too much time on electronic devices. They have watched too much TV. They have spent too much time together. They have spent time playing in the snow. They get tired and they get punchy. Then they freak out because they can't win some game I don't even understand.
With all of this, here are a few things I have learned:
1. The Boys need school...badly. Youngest has turned into a little demon. He needs a haircut and his hair is this mop of crazy. He is over-reacting to everything and occasionally starts screaming at his brothers. He has no idea what he wants and gets overly emotional whenever he doesn't get what he wants, which is kind of a catch-22, because he doesn't know what he wants. Good times.
2. The "Fun Challenge" one of my crazy Facebook friends made up, 100 push-ups, 100 sit-ups and 100 squats every day for 30 days, that started about 2 weeks ago, is helpful. Shoveling requires the use of muscles you didn't know existed. The daily exercises help to keep things loose. Each day I wake up sore thinking I can't possibly do 100 push-ups, 100 sit-ups and 100 squats every day. Each day I do them and I feel better.
3. Snow Days aren't as much fun for an adult as they are for a kid.
4. Day time TV sucks. And you can't binge-watch much with children around.
5. Middle likes some really bad TV shows.
6. Eldest is getting older. He is the only one who seems to be handling things well.
7. That was a lot of snow.
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