Snow Day!
As most of you know, I recently moved back up to Maryland after living for 15 years in Florida. My girls pretty much grew up there, so they’ve never experienced many of the joys of winter…such as lying in bed on a wickedly cold morning, listening to the radio while you huddle under the covers, praying for a “no school today” announcement…or at least a “2 hours late” one.
Now, of course, they hop out of bed, run over to their computer and check the school board website. So do I. It’s quicker.
Anyway, about two weeks ago, we had our first real snowstorm of the winter. It wasn’t much, just a couple of inches, but it was enough to get them out of school. We sledded, made snowballs and snow angels and drank hot chocolate. (BTW: They lasted outside for about 1 hour before complaining and wanting to come in. Wimps…we used to go out wrapped like mini Michelin men and stay out there until our lips froze off!)
The thing is, that piddly 3″ of snow wasn’t much of a big deal…BUT that night, it was followed by an ice storm. I am talking 2-3″ of straight ICE landed on top of the snow and it really shut everything down. They were out of school for 3 full days and 3 partial ones! Just unbelievable–there were accidents everywhere, you couldn’t shovel your driveway because you couldn’t break through the ice to get to the snow beneath.
It was hellish for driving.
But oh, was it fun for sliding down!
That Saturday, we went up to Liberty Ski Resort in northern Maryland, rented inner tubes, and flew down the side of a mountain for a couple of hours. It was fun, but horribly busy and crowded, so the thrill was quickly dashed by interminible lines to get up the people-movers to the top…or worse, trudging up by foot. (Did that once…no more!)
We’d gotten a taste of winter fun, but not nearly enough. So the next day, when we had a big family gathering, my goofy kid brother (guess he’s not actually a kid anymore since he’s 35!) and I decided we wanted to try ice sledding in my sister’s front yard. We had two rubber discs and a lot of liquid courage. Dragging my older sister, Cheri, with us, we went out onto the front porch, which was so icy we kept slipping off. We’d ease our adult-size butts onto the kid-size disks, give ourselves a little push, and FLY down the gentle slope of the front yard. It’s a long yard, like I said–gentle, easy slope–no big hills. But, remember, it was solid ICE. Once you got started…you flew!
One more problem: at the bottom of the yard is a line of pine trees…beyond that, a ditch….then the road…then another HUGE hill that ends in a lake.
The trick was to STOP before you ended up in the lake.
Sounds easy, right? But believe me, if you can’t break through ice with a pickax to try to shovel it (we were doing that earlier in the day so Killian–the “beast” great dane I wrote about last summer–could get out to go to the bathroom) you could just forget about trying to stop yourself with a boot clad foot. I don’t care how “gentle” the hill was, once you got going, there was NO easy way to stop!
There were a few choices:
1. Roll off when you got to the bottom of the first slope and pray.
2. Try desperately to avoid the trees, and a big stump where one had been removed last summer, aim for the ditch, desperately throw yourself off before you rise back up onto the road, then hit the major hill and plunge down to the lake. And pray.
3. Beg someone to catch you at the bottom. And pray.
4. Head straight for the trees and let them stop you. And pray.
After trying all of the above with my gleefully cackling siblings, we decided landing in the pine trees was the best alternative. Evergreens have soft, brushy pine needles. And it smelled so much like Christmas. Scratches we could live with…we weren’t giving up our fun.
The one problem was, we had to avoid the sharp, pointy spikes we created every time we crashed into the trees and broke another branch.
Our shrieks of laughter drew everyone else out of the house, including my hubby and my daughters. Soon *everyone* was flying down that hill. And as the trees grew more and more sharp with broken branches, we started taking up positions at the bottom of the hill to try to “catch” whoever was flying down toward us next. Usually catching equated to “diving on” as it was the only way to stop anyone.
Eventually, someone brought out the camera…
Here are my hubby Bruce and I, getting ready for our first joint descent!
Ready…set…GO! Bruce and I go down together, holding hands, after a gentle push from my youngest and a shout of encouragement from my brother (the one in the goofy hat!!)
Okay, we’re picking up steam now…passing the first obstacle (I think I forgot to mention there’s a huge pine tree–without those nice soft fronds–right in the middle of the yard! And I also forgot to mention…you can forget about trying to steer on the way down!)
Okay, cut to the bottom of the hill. We’ve missed the stump. And the ditch. So we’re safe from the lake.
But now we have to make the slide under the tree!!! 
And here’s where we end up! Safe and sound, wrapped in the lovely smell of Christmas trees. And, oh joy, no eyes poked out from protruding broken limbs.
People ask me…Why do I write romance?
Why else: Bruce! My best friend…and my hero! :love2:
Now this next sequence of my crazy baby brother and I makes me laugh…it brings back such wonderful childhood memories! (Except, back then, I was usually tormenting Lee…on this particular day, he was the one who kept spinning me out of control on purpose!)
Here we are heading down the hill… 
We end up in the same spot!
But it takes a lot to get my good-natured baby brother down!
All in all, it was an absolutely hilarious day. Whether we were sliding down on the disks, our butts, big trash bags, plastic bin lids…whether we were sent spinning in a whirl by my brother Lee or our family friend Nathan, whether we held hands two by two…three by three…or once, four by four…whether we were holding a beer in our lap (oy) we somehow managed to NOT kill ourselves!
There were a few times when we had to react quickly when deciding who to save. Which my 15 year old is never going to let us forget. (My hubby and I both instinctively dove for her little sister…the older one was, umh, quite indignant and accused us of not caring if she got killed as long as the little one was okay.)
Though the quality’s not great and you really can’t get a feel for how bloody fast I’m going, I thought I’d share this video Bruce took with his cell phone. Remember: He’s holding the phone. He’s also the one who decided to ’save’ me at the end. Which is why things get kind of upside down.
Let me say again…Bruce: My Hero!
BREAKING NEWS:
Our family friend Nathan Riska saw this blog today and sent me HIS video of the very same slide above…it’s much better quality, and you can actually see what happened when Bruce dove to save me.
So much fun!
Thanks Nathan!
Oh fun and crazy you all are - looks like a blast. Doesn’t it just make you feel like a kid again? *g*
Comment by Stacy ~ — February 26, 2007 @ 7:53 am
Oh, Leslie, what fun!!!! Thanks so much for sharing those pictures and more details about that day.
I’m jealous, ’nuff said!
Comment by Jodie — February 26, 2007 @ 8:01 am
It’s nice to see families playing together- even when they have lots of liquid courage in them!!:cocktail:
We live across from the city park, which is usually a golf course. Except in winter and we have snow. The kids drag their families and sled, snow board, ski, what ever for hours. I counted over 100 the other day. I even consider buying myself a sled. ha. I miss those times when dad and I would go sledding in the winter.
Glad to see your kids adapted quickly to the change in seasons. You did tell them not to stick their tounges on the flagpole, right??
Comment by ev — February 26, 2007 @ 9:08 am
Oh, Leslie, These truly are the “times of your life”… Treasured memories for sure! Thanks for sharing.
Comment by lisa — February 26, 2007 @ 10:12 am
Leslie: That reminds me of last month when we had our big snow storm. The three boys and I went in the back yard with a doughnut thing and I pulled them (okay, it is flat in our backyard). They had a great time. My husband thinks I am crazy (I think he is crazy for not getting off work and enjoying that time!).
Comment by katie — February 26, 2007 @ 10:49 am
Aw, you’re making me miss my Oregon youth. People here in California say you can just drive to the snow when you want it, but it really doesn’t match waking up in your own bed to snow outside. Looks like you had a fun, fun day.
Comment by Lori Borrill — February 26, 2007 @ 10:50 am
That looks like you had so much fun. And most of all memories that your children will remember forever. I have many fond memories of sledding with my family. I just wish we would get some decent snow here in Massachusetts so my daughter could experience it now. I live on the coast and we have missed EVERY storm that has passed through.
Thanks for sharing Leslie.
Comment by Kelly F. — February 26, 2007 @ 11:10 am
Now, that was love all around!!
Comment by Barbara-Jo — February 26, 2007 @ 11:35 am
How much fun for you and your family
Last winter was my very first time to go sledding. Paul and I went back to his hometown (Buffalo, NY) and I had so much fun at Chestnut Ridge. I wanna go back and do it again 
That and Beef on Weck from Schwable’s.
Comment by Vicki — February 26, 2007 @ 12:10 pm
Comment by Tina Martinesi — February 26, 2007 @ 12:35 pm
You know, I do have wonderful memories of playing in the snow as a kid. Hours at a time with my sisters & brother, sledding down the big hill in our back yard.
But probably my fondest memories are of the times my crazy parents would wake us kids up at night when it was snowing, pull snow pants and coats over our pj’s, put us on sleds and pull us to a neighbor’s house for impromptu middle-of-the-night sledding! It was like seeing them as kids, kind off magical, you know?
I hope my kids have similar fond memories of us for that very same reason.
Comment by Leslie — February 26, 2007 @ 12:47 pm
Comment by kim h — February 26, 2007 @ 12:56 pm
Ev…my kids know all about the pole thing. We’re big “A Christmas Story” fans in this house.
Comment by Leslie — February 26, 2007 @ 1:12 pm
Vicki’s comment made me laugh - I’m a native Buffalonian and I have fond memories of sledding at Chestnut Ridge! But now I live in Florida and I generally hope to never see snow again. But I have to say, Leslie, that your story made me nostalgic!
Funny how all my *fun* winter memories occurred before the age of 18, and after that it’s all just a big cold wet pain in the butt. 
Comment by Julie S — February 26, 2007 @ 1:23 pm
Thank-you Leslie. I’m not sure why I never went forward.
I guess I was making a whatever of myself.
Your day looks like so much fun.
Comment by jeannie — February 26, 2007 @ 1:30 pm
Oh, Jeannie, no worries! I just thought since you were mentioning snow on Saturday’s post, you *thought* you were posting on this one!
Bring the chocolate fondue HERE!
Comment by Leslie — February 26, 2007 @ 1:35 pm
Julie, honestly, I thought the snow issue would be a major drawback to moving back up here, because I remember disliking it so much right before we left.
But the winter has been SO mild, and the snow so minimal, I am truly enjoying it.
Comment by Leslie — February 26, 2007 @ 1:36 pm
PS: BUFFALONIAN? Is that what you guys are? lolol! At first glance I thought it said Balonian.
Comment by Leslie — February 26, 2007 @ 1:38 pm
Okay, I am having way too much fun with One True Media! I just got another video and uploaded it above, below the first one!
Comment by Leslie — February 26, 2007 @ 2:13 pm
You do look like you had a blast.
And there is no such thing as too much fun.
The Chocolate fountain I got for Christmas is now
front and center with lots of fruit ready for dipping.
I think everybody shouldn have one of these
fountains on their night stand.
Hey I am old not dead.
Comment by jeannie — February 26, 2007 @ 3:31 pm
Jeannie, I got a chocolate fountain last year for Christmas! We’ve used it several times and it is *always* a big hit.
I LOVE the bananas dipped in chocolate!
Comment by Leslie — February 26, 2007 @ 4:25 pm
Fabulous videos! Looks like you all had fun. It doesn’t snow here in western NC like it use to when I was younger. So, I miss all the fun sledding and snowball fights. We would have someone be look out as we would sled down the hill that is now my driveway into our road.
It’s what memories are made out of. Oh, how I miss it!
Comment by Stephanie S. — February 26, 2007 @ 4:31 pm
Looks like you enjoyed the ice storm. That is the way to make the best of a bad situation. Loved the videos. Your husband is definitely hero material.
Comment by Patty L. — February 26, 2007 @ 4:35 pm
Leslie, thanks for sharing your fun family day!
When I left my brother’s last Wednesday it was snowing & it was so pretty. I got an email the next day saying they were getting more snow & the power had been out–not at all fun! I live not to far from Lori Borrill & we don’t get snow!! It is a fun novelty around here. One thing I love about the snow is it is so quiet, it is magical & pretty, especially if you are inside with a fire going & hot chocolate spiked with Peppermint Schnaps or maybe Kahlua!!! :cocktail:
Comment by Donna M — February 26, 2007 @ 4:38 pm
Okay, while I’m so not the least bit jealous over the snow and ice (brrrrrr), it does look like you have a fabulous time! Love the videos!
Comment by Julie Leto — February 26, 2007 @ 5:09 pm
All this talk about snow, made it snow here! Seriously, this morning at 10:45 I looked outside and said to myself, ‘this looks like it did when it snowed last month” and lo and behold, I go up not very much further to pick up my 4 year old and it is snowing (okay, it is wet snow, nothing of consequence). Nothing like you guys have now on the East Coast or we had last month. It’s still fun, though.
Comment by katie — February 26, 2007 @ 5:23 pm
Great story and pictures!! Thanks for sharing ~ looks like a blast
Comment by Shelley — February 26, 2007 @ 5:51 pm
Love the snow stories!!! I still remember getting out of school and going sledding with my cousins and my older sister. The schools would be closed, but my dad would drive us 15 miles to my aunt’s house because they had the best hills. We would spend all day just sledding, only coming in every few hours to change into dry clothes just to go right back out again. On the few times we couldn’t get to my aunt’s, we would take my little brother to the school and hit those hills. Makes me miss the snow just thinking about it(of course, living in Nashville, we never get much snow anymore).
Comment by Liza — February 26, 2007 @ 6:16 pm
Glad everyone enjoyed this today–I know I loved it. And it’s been fun hearing everyone re-live their own “snow day” experiences. That’s a magical thing, isn’t it? I’m so glad my girls (at least the younger two) are getting a chance to experience it.
You know, I just re-watched that second video…you can’t even see Lee in the first cell phone version of it, but he’s easy to see in the 2nd one. And OH WOW does he come close to having something very unpleasant happen when he goes into that tree right up at the top of the hill…lolol!
He needs to be more careful…I want more nieces and nephews.
Comment by Leslie — February 26, 2007 @ 7:24 pm
Les…it was great having you, Bruce and the girls over for the weekend. I can’t remember the last time I was that active
I think the adults enjoyed it more than the kids did, what a blast! I hate to see what my trees are going to look like in a few more weeks….:cry: I would do it again in a New York minute…
:love2: ~C
Comment by Cheri — February 26, 2007 @ 7:56 pm
Leslie thanks for sharing
There was no school today due to snow and I had to work
and so did hubby so my son went to my parents hosue and I called there a little after 9 am. and my dad said my son was playing in the snow. Last week he was on vacation and spent 2 days there and he would take this little garden wagaon my dad has and use that as a sled and he ran into my dad’s birdfeeder and broke the pole 
when he thought he was going to crash he would jump off
Comment by Cherylann — February 26, 2007 @ 8:26 pm
Hey! My sister’s here!
Welcome to Plotmonkeys, CC! We’ll take you up on that offer in a New York minute the very next time we have another ice storm.
Comment by Leslie — February 26, 2007 @ 8:32 pm
Kid after my own heart, Cherylann!
Comment by Leslie — February 26, 2007 @ 8:32 pm
Have any of you noticed how many of us talked about how much it *used* to snow wherever we were?
I swear, before I moved away, this area would get several big snowstorms a year. This year there have been two piddly ones, and it was in the 50’s thru January!
Now Kelly’s not getting it in Massachusetts, Stephanie’s not getting it in North Carolina…
Guess it must be that global warming thing, huh?
(PS: For you dirty-minded Plotmonkeyers, “Getting IT” = Getting Snow!
Comment by Leslie — February 26, 2007 @ 8:36 pm
Looks like you had a blast. We never get winter like that in North Texas (DFW area), but we had a couple that were real winners in the Panhandle.
Glad you had what looks like a GREAT time.
Comment by Lynn Matherly — February 26, 2007 @ 8:40 pm
Donna…coffee & kahlua…mmmmmm. Add a shot of Bailey’s and I’m in heaven. (And out for the night…lol!)
PS: How are you doing?
Comment by Leslie — February 26, 2007 @ 8:50 pm
LOL
I loved your snow adventures, Leslie.
Aren’t hero husbands the best?
Lara
Comment by Lara Santiago — February 26, 2007 @ 10:35 pm
Leslie, It was so much fun reading about your snow day. Can you believe the last time it snowed at my house I was a 12 YO 6th grader, & I’m in my 60s now? Of course, I’ve driven to the snow a few times, but, in L.A., snow just doesn’t happen (unless you live on the very outskirts). Somehow, I couldn’t access the video, but, seeing the pix & reading your recitation of the day with your family was great!
Patricia A.
Comment by Patricia — February 26, 2007 @ 10:50 pm
You older kids - Remember the big hill in the back of Fairview Ave? Even the senior members of the Smith clan (me and Mom) shared in that slippery slope; the nights I would pull you by sled over to PK’s house, the snowball fights, the snowmen at Linganore, the help I got decorating the house with bright lights from Leslie!!
Yeah. Kinda miss that, but then I shrug my shoulders and go out and take a swim in my backyard. I figure you all can visit here and share the good times like: Getting thrown in the pool (naturally with pricy clothes and carrying an expensive camera), testing out my boat in the swimming pool, drinking so much beer the garbage man complains about the wear and tear on his axels, and laughing till tears run down our cheeks. Hey, do we have fun??
Comment by Dad — February 27, 2007 @ 4:52 pm
lol Dad…I definintely do remember.
And I hear ya on those Florida pool days…but I recently rediscovered my liking of the cold winter nights and crisp autumn skies. I’m quite sure I’m going to adore spring when it arrives! It is the season I missed most living in Florida.
(FYI: Yes. That’s my Dad.
Comment by Leslie — February 28, 2007 @ 1:18 am