Growing up in New Jersey, we listened to a lot of AM radio, but back then, THE station was WABC, the New York City top forty station. That was the station my little white and blue clock radio alarm was set to…unless.

Unless there was the chance of snow. Then I would turn the knob to the local talk radio station, where in between the news, we would hear the most wonderful words of all: South Plainfield Public Schools – Closed. My brother and I would cheer, then sit quietly and wait for the next cycle of closings, to hear it again. Looking back, I have no idea why I needed to hear it twice. It’s not like they would change their minds. And if it was a mistake, they would have to own up to it, not just leave our district out the next read through. But I always had to hear it twice. 

Snow can be beautiful any time, but when you’re a kid, waking up to 8 inches of fluffy white snow is magical. By nine am, the snow plows would have gotten through the neighborhood, and the pack of kids I ran around with, (boys mostly, because they did things. The few girls in the neighborhood would rather be inside with Barbies.) we would gather snow shovels and build huge forts on each side of a drive way, complete with snow sofas and foot stools. And we would be outside all day, coming in only for meals and an occasional hot cocoa. Someone’s mom would always insist we come in and warm up, but truth was, we were running around so much, we were sweating in our parkas. 

This comes to mind because overnight here in Texas, we were treated to about 6 inches of snow. Since is was predicted, we already had a “work remote” day so no one had to drive. We are woefully bad at snow in this part of Texas, not a plow to be seen. But, turns out that the electrical grid cannot keep up with our desire for warmth, so now rolling blackouts are here as well. Remote work now cancelled. I had to read the email twice. I’m funny that way.