The quiet of winter
Right now, as I write this, there's an eerie stillness outside. The snowstorm that had been predicted for Seattle came in today, dumping 6 inches of snow at my house. Usually I can hear the freeway breathing, but tonight... nothing. The snow must absorb all that sound before it can get here.
As I've mentioned before, when it snows in Seattle, everyone panics. People forget how to drive. Stores shut down. The news channels drop reporters near busy intersections or bad hills to watch drivers struggling with the elements.
As usual, Seattle schools were closed today. I managed to work about a half-day, but I also did a lot of other stuff with Brenda and the boys. Here's a list of our snow day fun:
- Cameron, Drew, and I went out to a few pet stores to get flea medicine for the cats. On the way to Petco we stopped at the St. Catherine's church parking lot where I demonstrated the proper way to do doughnuts in the snow.
- A visit to Petco is not unlike a zoo. We saw hamsters, ferrets, scorpions, parakeets, cockatiels, turtles, and a bunch of fish. We must have been in there for an hour. And it only cost $80.
- The entire family made a trek to Red Robin for lunch. I had such a big lunch I didn't even eat dinner.
- I gave my cats their first bath (in 10 years). Cameron seemed to enjoy seeing the cats get dunked and washed with flea shampoo ("Dad, are we torturing the cats?"). Rocky was yowling the entire time in the tub, while his sister Jasmine almost seemed to enjoy it. Now both of the cats are mad at me.
- Tonight Brenda and the boys built a fire for the first time in probably 7 years. While I was relaxing downstairs (uh, I mean working), Cameron and Drew asked their mother about 100 questions about fire.
- My gig at MotoCity was cancelled by 1:30. Bummer, as we've been preparing for the past month -- but no one would have shown up for it.
In case you're wondering, I already got a call from Seattle Public Schools letting us know that they're cancelling school for tomorrow, too. Big surprise.
Tune in tomorrow for More Snow Day Fun! (tm)
Labels: adventures of a parent
