Dear Snow Delay

Dear Snow Delay,

I will take what I can get. It wasn't what I hoped, but I will take what I can get. And what is it that I can get? It's a you, Snow Delay.

The weather-people here in Portland had been forecasting snow and ice for this weekend. They said a big storm front was coming through and that we would be getting many inches of snow. My football games yesterday were put on "weather alert" - to be possibly cancelled if the weather was too extreme. We made an announcement to our kids on Friday about the procedure for school cancellations and delays due to inclement weather. And then the weekend came.

And the temperatures went UP. The clouds rolled in and - as often occurs when clouds cover Portland - it got a little warmer and the rains fell. RAIN. Not snow. RAIN. As was obviously going to happen after all the big-deal-making about the possible "snow watch" upcoming. And then, yesterday, it cleared up and stayed (relatively) warm. I saw sunshine all over the place. And so I figured - as somebody who has gone through this process before - that it was all for naught, and there was no snow or cancellations or delays forthcoming.

But when I woke up this morning, I still ran to the front door to look for snow. And when I saw a little bit of it (and calling it any more than "a little bit" would be vast exaggeration), I went to the internet to see if there was even the slight chance of a cancellation. And there was none. But there WAS a you, Snow Delay. There WAS a you.

So what does that mean? I could have gone back to bed for another hour. I could have slept a little bit longer and then just headed my a-- to school like usual. But I was already awake. I had gone to bed really early last night to make sure I got plenty of sleep, so that wasn't exactly an issue. So I stayed out of bed.

So all it really means for me today is that I have an hour less school to do. Which isn't huge, but I suppose it's better than nothing. It allows me to actually write a letter NOW (before school) without fretting about getting out of the house. Just giving me a nice, leisurely morning routine before I go to work. And I don't think I'm going to go to work much later than I normally would, anyway. But - with that extra time - I shall be productive. Because I am a lot more focused in the mornings. In the afternoons (when I usually do my planning), I'm all mind-tired from a day of teaching, and I just want to talk to people and play or eat instead of doing my work. So I usually waste a good hour that I could use to do work - every single day.

So today I'm going to use that hour in the morning, instead. And it won't be wasted. Oh, no. Since nobody else will be in to work that early - as they'll be going for Option A (of more sleep), I will have no distractions, and I can get my work done. If I am particularly productive, I can even knock out my planning for most of the week, allowing me to leave earlier every other day. And that, my dear friend Snow Delay, makes you a pretty great thing. Sure - I would love to have the whole day off, but you will actually make the REST of my week a little easier than if I had today off. Because if I just didn't go in AT ALL today (and played, instead), there would be no extra planning done. In fact, I would have lost this afternoon's planning, which would have put me slightly BEHIND.

So - from a work standpoint (which I shall seldom take, but I will in this particular case) - you are actually BETTER than a cancellation. And for that, Snow Delay, I appreciate you. And I certainly won't ever take you for granted (at least not while I live here in Portland, where you happen so seldom). I'm not going to be wishing that there had been more snow and the whole day had been cancelled. No - not me. I shall just appreciate the extra time you have brought me, and the extra ease you have inserted into my school week. Thank you, Snow Day. Thank you.

About to Take My Time in Dressing,
CVT