Winter's First Snow

And it's a doozy. First snow day in years around here. We got about 14 inches, we're guessing. The kids didn't know what a "snow day" was. They got up around 6:30 and Heidi said: girls, it's a snow day today, thinking they would realize they had no school. They were like: cool, a snow day, better get ready for school. So we're hoping to sleep in, and eventually we realize they're not getting the concept. Kaila was upset she had to miss school because she didn't want to miss Pizza Day. They had fun after all. Picture at left is Ellie next to the trees in our backyard on Saturday. See more pics in the photo album area.

Comments

[Liz Yarrington]

In my many, many years of living in the Chicagoland area, I have NEVER, EVER experienced the joy of a snow day. NEVER. I moved to Lake Forest in third grade. I am now 21 years old. In all of the time I was in school in Lake Forest, I had ONE day off of school, but that wasn't even for snow- it was because it was literally too COLD to go outside. You would have died if you'd gone outside that day, they later told us.

That being said, my question is this: what has happened to Chicago that it is now instituting snow days? Of course they are fun (or so I am told), and we always complained that we never got them, but come on people, have we no pride? Have we no dignity that we are Chicagoans- the few who are prepared enough, nay, brave enough, to venture out into the snow to carry on with daily life amidst blizzard and storm? Call me arrogant or foolish, but, if given the choice, I would gladly forfeit my right to snow days in exchange for the honor that comes with being able to say that I have never experienced one. And indeed it is an honor, friends. Never had the school system I knew given in to the snow; never had we exclaimed in a small, pitiful voice, "alright, snow: you win, we'll stay home. we will not carry on. we will not beat you, nor even fight you in this battle." No, we did not speak those words. Because we were bigger than that, stronger than that once. I would like to challenge this generation to turn from their ways and to carry on with the tradition that begun years before them. Include yourselves in the legacy that lives on in so few places; do not, I pray, give in to the pansy ways of the weak. Say no to snow days and become the boastful few who can claim that they were bigger, better men and women- those who went through childhood without the joy of snow days. Say no to snow days and reclaim your heritage as a Chicagoan. Say no to snow days and reclaim your souls.

[Patrick Sanderson]

What a horrible thing to say, Liz. No school is one of the most joyful and satisfying experiences in a young person's academic career. Especially when the weather is so conducive to having a helluvalotta fun.

Here's the truth: Chicagoans we are, and when school's out for snow, we're not pansying around inside the house. HELL NO! We're outside, manhandling the very element that scared the living bejeezus our of our superintendent. Snowmen, snow forts, snow balls, we bend it all to our iron will. Snow boarding, sledding, jumping off twenty-foot mountains of snow onto your friend who lies atop a cusion of snow, I see no timidity in this. There is no small pitiful voice, no acquiescing or surrendering to the weather.

Maybe you're being facetious. Maybe you have a penchant for scathing editorials. Maybe you're insane. Whatever the case, we will have NO MORE talk of soulless Chicagoans too scared to venture out against the blowing of the frigid North winds. Nay. We stride forth and boldly conquer the frozen tundra as though we were Eric the Red himself!

VIVE L'SNEAUXDAIYE
(long live the snowday)

patrick sanderson

[Christina Jones]

Hear, hear Liz.
We northern Chicagoans are the few and the proud that have year in and year out taken on and defeated the snow. I would have to agree that "No school is one of the most joyful and satisfying experiences in a young person's academic career", however you don't know what's best for you when you are young. Take it from me, the honor and pride of having not experienced a snow day is far more satisfying than one snow day full of fleeting fun.

Let us not forget, we are Northside Chicagoans; we love all things hard to love. We are not detered when the odds are against us, we are not scared away. I too hope that the next generation rallies behind the banner "Say No To Snow Days"

[Brigid Marshall]

I have never known anyone to write that many long, long, long comments on a mere blog. If anything, people either read and don't comment on the site, although they know it at times can light up my day to get a comment, and rather they say something snide about something you wrote in person. Anyway, Syler. I called Timmy to see what time he was leaving to come and visit me this past weekend. No one answered at first, and I thought, ah, he's probably in class or something. Upon second call however, I got a winded Sheila who said she couldn't talk because there was too much snow. Alas, Tim's voice on the other end (ps-phones still sometimes weird me out, hearing someones voice even though they're miles away, another blog for another day). He couldn't come. None of our cars would start. Our snow blower broke. They shoveled the driveway for hours. The picture of Ellie is cute, and I'm sorry she had to miss her pizza party. They should reschedule. I feel her pain over the warm gooey cheese and crispy crust. See you in a about a week point five. -Bridge

[Maria Buonafede]

Disbelief. That was my first reaction. How can these be? Lake Forest High School actually closed their doors in response to the snow. The only time that I can remember being let out of LFHS before 3:10 was when the generator broke and the electricity could not be turned back on (all class of '03 grads should remember this glorious day). But snow? Come on Chicago. Put a couple layers on and forge the snow. You are better than that. Don't settle. In the words of my brother "Never say Die".

[drew]

i like summer

[Heidi]

All I can say to those who "Say no to Snow Days" is wait until you're a parent and you are the one responsible for shoveling all that snow and stuffing your children into snow gear. Also, it's really nice to sleep in another half hour! Syler, I still owe you five bucks for getting up and checking to see if school was closed. I promise I'll pay you back!

[courtney Micksch]

syler. lets discuss the george winston december cd. so good. ive been listening to it while studying a lot. See you soon!!!

[sarah]

i was one of those dummies who didn't take a snow day that friday. i thought, 'i take metra to work. what could go wrong?' well, the metra worked just fine. the pace shuttlebus that goes from the downtown lake forest metra station to conway park was another matter. can you explain to me why NOBODY bothered to plow route 60???? our shuttlebus was stuck in front of Christ Church for an hour. i thought about getting off the bus and walking over to say hi, but i figured only idiots like me would try to go to work in that kind of snow and that would therefore exclude you.

i think snow days are a good idea because people being on the roads is a hazard. perfect attendance is just not worth it. i think grownups need snowdays too.

[Liz Yarrington]

Drew and Courtney,

All I have to say to you is that this is a forum for the discussion of SNOW DAYS. Not of "summer" or the liking of summer, or of particular CD's which one may or may not find enjoyable.

Heidi,

You are the only member of this group that has made a strong argument for the existence of snow days. I respect you and your desire to sleep in, to leave your driveway unshoveled, and to leave your several children in their pajamas. I commend you for your service as a mother, a shoveler of driveways, and an all-around wonderful human being.

(I am still against snow days).

[Syler]

The response to this topic was overwhelming. Thanks to everyone for weighing in. On a non-sarcastic note, it did come down to a matter of buses being able to navigate streets, and they determined that would have been next to impossible given the fact that the heaviest snow was falling when they would have been getting picked up. As a case in point, it took Bob Jones two hours to get from 41 and Half Day Road to his office. That's about 7 miles. It was the right decision.

On a more whimisical note, you Snow Day NaySayers (SDNS) have tipped your hand without even knowing it. "Experienced the joy of a snow day" belies the fact that you do know that there is joy in a snow day. And there is. There are few feelings so glorious as waking up to discover that not only do you not have to attend school, but that your gracious Father in Heaven has provided the means of your activity for the day: a soft, white, icy blanket on which to run, slide, jump, and which also provides hydration. I can still remember the feeling of being in the 5th grade and hearing my mom tell me there was no school, and anticipating all the fun we'd have playing in the snow...especially in Austin, Texas, where it never snows.

Let's be honest: you SDNS are bitter because you've never experienced it. This is a classic "sour grapes" response. I can't have it, so it must not be that great. You're wrong. I stand with Patrick and my wife and say: Carpe snodiem.

[Kyle Banks]

Liz,
I believe that you have taken this to another level, but not yet too far. What child despises, might I even say loaths missing school to frolic in a white powdery substance with all their friends? I dont know, honestly I dont know. I think that staying home and getting a little extra sleep is good for growing children, as well as being able to take a day for mental recuperation from a long week at the school house. Kids these days need to know what relaxation means. I dont know how you can argue that snow days are wrong. Any reason to miss sitting in a building for 8+ hours and having someone preach at you (no offense Syler) is a good enough reason for me.

kyle

p.s. i like summer drew

[Graham Hallen]

Kyle, I am sorry but your comments are too flippant. Had you had time to rethink what you wanted to say you might have revised. For instance, I have never had to sit at school for more than 8 hours or even 8 hours at all.
Also, "Kids these days need to know what relaxation means", are you saying that kids who worked in factories not even a hundred years ago KNEW what relaxation meant. I think now. Or are you being married off at the age of 12 having to have kids and then provide for them. It seems that "kids these days" need to know what dedication and commitment means. That comes from pushing through that snow, not being lazy and giving up.

However Heidi, from the perspective of a mother with young children, I understand where you are coming from.