1/26….Snow was in the forecast for late Monday evening for southwest Ohio and eastern Indiana, and believe me, they were ‘on the money.’ My students were all excited about the possibility of our first snow day. But I reminded them not to get their hopes. I packed up my things and a few papers to grade just in case. And voila! It snowed and snowed and snowed…. 1/27….Yippee, our first snow day for the school year. I received the long awaited snow chain phone call and did my ‘happy dance,’ and informed my four-legged loyal companion, a chocolate Labrador retriever, that mommy would be home to hang out with him. I slip quietly back into bed and whisper to my husband that school was closed for the day. He grunted, “Okay.” I got to snooze a couple more hours….oh, happy day! Ahhhhhhh…. 9 a.m. The coffee’s on and the smell is divine. The fireplace is ablaze, a heavy snow is falling, and I sit in my flannel jammies beginning my day with my Bible reading and my devotional for the day from My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers. I’m thankful that we have a warm home to protect us from the elements because we having a growing community of homeless people trying to find warmth in the local shelters and centers. I pray for those who are bracing the storm on their way to and from work. Sigmund, our domestic long-haired cat, cuddles up beside me on the sofa, and the dog lies at my feet. How often I forget to give the Lord thanks for the little things that make life so precious! After completing my daily devotional, I read the paper, and then decided to skip the grading of papers and choose instead to read something from my small library of books. I choose Pastor John Hagee’s book, Beginning of the End, on Bible end-time prophecy. The book stirs my heart in regards to the coming of the Lord, and it’s hard to put down. I finally resign myself to the fact that I need to shovel the driveway SOON as the snow continued to pile up on our driveway and sidewalk. Noon …The snow continued to fall as I shoveled for at least 45 minutes. Buster had a great time romping in the snow, rolling around in it, and even EATING it! Sometimes I’m just not sure about that dog’s intelligence…but we love him anyway! I took some photos of him having a good time in all that snow. The neighbors would slowly drive by, wave at me, and then point and laugh at our crazy dog. After finishing the shoveling, I headed back to grade those papers I brought home. Sighhh…. 5:30 p.m. I get another phone call from my snow chain buddy, and I'm told that school is closed again tomorrow. Yehaw! I can stay up late and watch TV programs that I don’t normally watch because of their late night time slot. Freezing rain and ice are forecasted for tonight and tomorrow. 1/28.… The freezing rain and ice began early morning, and I was soooo thankful I didn’t have to get out and drive in it, but I quietly prayed that God would watch over my spouse, family and friends who had to brave this dangerous weather to get to their respective places of work. A repeat of yesterday’s routine: coffee, breakfast, fireplace aglow with burning logs, devotional time, read the daily paper, continue Pastor Hagee's book, and finish the papers to be graded. I even had time to watch a couple of older movies. The ice is covering the snow, and more snow is forecasted for later in the evening and tomorrow morning. My furry friends enjoy my time at home—more snacks and petting for them to enjoy. ....5 p.m. Another phone call from my snow chain friend…no school again tomorrow. This is getting pretty serious. The news reports and weather channels warned people to stay off the roads if they can be avoided. Accidents and traffic problems are listed on the local TV channels. School and event closings roll continuously across the bottom of local news stations. The snow storm is headed east and should subside sometime tomorrow early afternoon. 1/29…. I could get used to this sleeping in business. Nahhhh… I enjoy my teaching career, and in all seriousness, I know that we’re going to have to make up any more days missed at the end of the school year. Lesson plans will have to be revised and reworked because of the material we must cover. Again, I follow my routine….coffee, etc. The snow ended around 12:30 p.m. and it looks like I need to shovel again. Sigh…. Oh well, I need the exercise. Again Buster and I head out to brace the mounting snow and ice. He slides on the driveway and sidewalk, and every time he walks in the piled snow, you can hear the crunch beneath his feet. The snow and ice have hardened and he can’t get out and romp as he did a couple of days ago. Instead he chooses to just lay in it. I shake my head and get on with the business of shoveling. Neighbors are slowly making their way out of their warm houses to shovel their driveways and sidewalks as well. The temperature hovers in the high teens and my ears and hands, though covered with a cap and gloves, are freezing. We head back in to warm up. I figure that we’ll have at least an hour delay tomorrow. But at 4:30 p.m. or so, ANOTHER school closing is communicated on the snow chain call. This time with the reminder that we'll have to make up this day at the end of the school year. I decided to investigate this phenomenon called blogging that my stepson and students talk about all the time. I browse a number of sites and Christian devotionals on the Internet. I finally find a couple that I liked, and after perusing a number of blogs by others, I decided to take the plunge and make a blog. I found myself working on one until after midnight. I can’t believe that I had lost track of the time, and I was having such a great time working on it. Maybe I really CAN DO this! 1/30….I must admit that I hurried up my routine a bit today because I wanted to work on my blog. I laughed at myself trying to add ‘cool’ graphics and gadgets to my page. I dare NOT tell my students that I have one of these for fear they’ll make fun of it. But WHO CARES!? I’m feeling confident about my efforts at trying new background graphics and themes. I considered trying to change the CODE on the site but thought it best to save THAT experience for another time. So here goes….. am I brave enough to publish it? OF COURSE!
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