Winter's Come

Although we received two or three inches of the three to five predicted, after Thursday most of the highways were cleared. Cars in the ditch were common on Thursday, and some had to wait for wreckers not just because the wrecker was tied up helping someone else but also Interstate 57 was considered too slick for it to be safe to have a wrecker pulling someone onto the road. But eventually most people got to work and back home again, and wreckers helped those that didn’t.

Some of our county schools were closed Thursday and some were not. More were closed on Friday although the roads were better than the day before. Many times when roads are safe in town, they may be impassable on rural roads. I know that my brother used to get up at 4 a.m. and drive the country roads in his district in central Illinois trying to determine if the school buses could safely make their pick-ups. I feel sorry for those having to make those decisions that could be life-ending for children if made wrong. That is a terrible responsibility. Whatever decision is made, some folks will feel it is the wrong decision. If parents have to go to work and children are home alone, accidents can happen at home. Generally at least the kids are happy when school is cancelled. My grandkids are. As a parent, I used to love snow days even if it did mean I spent the day bundling kids up, drying out gloves and socks, finding more gloves and socks while the first ones dried.

Now when the weather cancels my plans for the day, I can lazily snuggle in watching the birds at the feeder on the deck and feel no compunction to adopt new plans. We’ve especially enjoyed seeing a pair of cardinals there since we do not see them often at this house. I was really delighted when one flew to the ledge of our living room where I was reading. He was staring in trying to figure out what goes on inside that place he could not enter. I had this strong desire to be able to talk to him and find out what he was thinking. Such days seem special simply because I suddenly realize that my plans weren’t as important as I thought. Nature is humbling that way.

Gerald had been out every day, but I tagged along yesterday to meet Leslie, our granddaughter returning to Belmont for spring semester. We met at Cracker Barrel for lunch and used one of our gift cards (with 19 cents left over) to feed us. She headed on down to Nashville to be on hand as a resident assistant in her dorm when the students began coming back today. We headed to the warehouse store for me to look for a seasoned port loin roast for dinner guests today. And we had to stop at Rural King for more bird feed and suet.

Today we were able to drive without problems to church, where a young man in the village had cleared the parking lot for us. The house was crowded. I think folks were glad to be out and about again. But I’ve heard more than one say they are ready for spring. It is going to take awhile. Yet as the poet promised, it can’t be far behind.