The first snow of the winter has officially fallen. I'm stunned by the beautiful blanket of white, early-season fluff that covers everything around me (I remember from my childhood that it won't be nearly as pretty come mid-March). However, I know next to nothing about living in it. As my father likes to frequently remind me, the last time that I lived in the snow, I was neither old enough to have to shovel it or drive in it and this is a significant fact.
My naivete about snow dwelling strategy is a source of much amusement among my fellow teachers at school. They seem to find it endlessly funny (and luckily, a bit endearing) that I have not a clue about doing things like leaving my windshield wipers pulled away from the windshield when we might get sleet and that I wear rain boots because I have thus far forgotten to invest in snow-worthy footwear. However, I'm happy with the state of things at the moment. Mariam is thrilled to be living somewhere where it is possible to build a snowman in your yard and not just when you are on vacation and I have to say, it is pretty good. I feel a bit like a five year old myself.
I could use a bit of help though. I now know about the windshield wipers, and apparently a person is also supposed to send one's children to school in snow pants. I'm making progress. However, snow dwellers in blogland, I'm happily accepting any advice, hints or cautions that anyone might be able to offer when it comes to living in the snow. How deep does it have to be before you actually have to shovel the driveway? Do your kids wear long underwear to school or wherever else they go during the day? Do you? How to manage the insane snowclothes, wet boots mess by the front door? If you've got advice, I'm listening. Assume total cluelessness on my part. I'm more of a California girl than I ever knew.
