Snow days

We've had snow!  Now for some folks this wuld be a great thing.  For me...not so much.  It is pretty, though.

This is what the birds found on Tuesday morning.  I was planning a drive across the city and the sun came out the way I hoped, the roads were clear and off I went.  No drama at all.

But the next day it snowed, too.  In fact it snowed all through the night so this is what I woke up to - and more.  I actually like waking up to the sound of silence that snow brings.  Early in the morning, nothing - except maybe a snow plow - goes down the road.  The flakes make little kissing noises when they hit something hard outside the window.  It's quite lovely until I remember what I have to do during the day.

This was the day to drive out to the airport.  Across town again.  The weather report said it would turn to rain by noon.  OK.  Except that it didn't.  The snow kept coming down.  In my wisdom, I thought that living up close to the mountains, we would have worse driving conditions than the city streets which were lower down.  How wrong could I be?  Plenty wrong as it turned out. 

I'm sure everyone knows that we West Coasters don't get a lot of driving in snow.  And even those who have practice from other snowy places, quickly realize that our snow is different.  Wet and slippery.  Very slippery.  Put that together with the fact that many Vancouverites have never driven in snow at all...many have cars that  aren't prepared for this weather.  Often the very same people.  And that's why I usually park the car when it snows.

But yesterday, I was going to the Christmas concert at my grandkids school which was another drive across town.  And Anne had a plane to catch - airport in more or less same location.  After a few harrowing moments on what seemed like the longest drive ever, I dropped her off and went to enjoy the concert.  It was lovely as all kids performances are.  Charlie and his choir sang their piece with great expression and energy -  grade 1's can do energy.  And Becky made a very  good entrance as the Star leading the Magi.  They'd have to have been blind not to have seen such a beautiful and shining star before them.  And when it was all over, school was dismissed and there was a field of fresh snow for all the happy kids to run through.

I was feeling pretty good at how it had all worked out until we got back to the house where Anne was waiting.  Flight was cancelled.  Rebooked to this morning.  Right.  Up at 5am and drive, drive, drive to the airport in the black morning.  The rain, which finally came overnight,  had cleared the streets beautifully.  This was a much speedier commute - only 40 minutes.   Check in, sit and wait.  This time, I stayed.  I had time to do about three inches of my sock when all the passengers were called over.  Sorry this flight's cancelled, too.  No way are they flying into Trail today - or even tomorrow. 

Time to rethink the plans.  Bus schedules are being looked at.  We are expecting more snow tomorrow which means that by the time the storm is done over the Kootenays, another will be on its way.  Maybe.  Maybe not.  Who knows.

Good thing I like to drive.  And I'm glad I'm staying home this Christmas.