SNOW DAY 2010

I never bothered to look out of the windows on last Thursday morning. I was busy preparing to spend another fun day with the Thursday afternoon Art Circle I'd met in the summer. I didn't look outside until around 10:30 AM. "Oh. Alrightee, then. It's snowing!" It was beautiful. It always is-- from the inside. Everything seems so peaceful and serene; the air seems cleaner, and when you have heat, and an ample supply of popcorn and paper products, what more could you ask? I couldn't chill, though. I'd made a promise that I intended to keep.
I asked myself on last Thursday, "WHEN did YOU become the lady who goes out into active snowfall?" Yep. I was out there acting as if I was from Chicago or something. Bounty paper towels are strong and durable, but next time, I'll just use the scraper...and have my gloves...and put my purse in the car, first. Fortunately the books and art supplies and paper were wrapped in plastic, but my cell phone didn't appreciate me allowing it to be covered in snow as I helped my daughter clear the car. The Bounty paper towels saved the day once we were on our way.

I had things to do, and places to go-- and I was going---very slowly and carefully, that is. My daughter did, too, and neither of us seemed particularly concerned about the weather at all.
We got to the I-295 exit off of Chesapeake Street, and there had been an accident between two vehicles. It hits you how grateful you should always be when you see a situation that could very well have your name on it. The way they'd collided made taking the exit impossible, and there was a police cruiser on the scene making sure that no one tried to maneuver around the wreck. 2nd Street, then? Nope. It ends in a nice sharp curve, and I don't care what anyone says, there was NO salt on the roads--at least not a single one upon which we traveled. We turned around, went back up Chesapeake Street, and hooked an easy left on Martin Luther King, Jr. Ave., figuring it was a straight shot to South Capitol Street- and it was. We made it to I-295 North, but it was slow going and traction was tricky. Some drivers were zipping along as if it was the middle of June, while others- like us--inched our way, making sure we kept a nice safe, even paranoid, distance from every other vehicle.
Our first stop would be The Boulevard at the Capital Center, then I would make my way back to The Washington Seniors Wellness Center. It was a little after 11:30. Surely, I'd make it back to DC by 1:00. Wrong.
I dropped off my daughter, and am pretty sure I took a tour of Prince Georges County. There was something about the snow and traffic that positively clouded my brain. Which way to go? The GPS lady had a serious attitude every time she said, "recalculating". Where was she taking me? Certainly not back to DC! I just stopped listening to her. Somehow I made it to Suitland Parkway, then Naylor Road, then Alabama Avenue. I have never been so happy to see a building in my life. Joe, my accompanist for the day, had been patiently waiting at the Center since BEFORE 1:00. He'd already set up his keyboard, speakers and mike. The elders who were there were so gracious. I figured if they could trudge out in the snow, I had absolutely no excuse. Between singing their favorite songs, reading stories and making decorations, I lost track of time. I was having so much fun. I was in no hurry. It was snowing.
By the time it was over, the snow, 2 inches of it, was on the ground. The rest, I suppose God decided to keep in one of his storehouses until the next time.

I made it back to Landover, and I think it was the first time I'd ever driven around the entire shopping complex. I'd forgotten my gloves so I stopped in DSW just knowing they carried gloves. They didn't. Fortunately, Ashley Stewart, DID. I purchased a black pair and a gray pair for myself and my daughter. Then I decided not to sleep on Chick-Fil-A any longer. God Bless them, their hot chocolate, waffle fries, and EXTREMELY polite employees.
I knew I'd be waiting a while for my daughter, so I stopped in Borders and picked up Dave Barry's newest book, and the new John Legend/The Roots CD--and some dark chocolate Lindor truffles...: )
The snow didn't seem to keep the ladies away from the salon and spa and it was delightful just sitting there among pleasant strangers--and even overhearing them talk about people I knew in glowing terms...whew!
When my daughter was done, we drove a lazy 40MPH all the way home via the Capital Beltway.
No slips, no falls, a few skids, but in the end, a very lovely day--snow and all.