Sunday, December 14, 2008

Oh the Weather outside is Frightful!

It has officially begun... winter (the season full of snow-- at least in Idaho) is here. Last night, the weather man predicted a snow storm, now growing up in the Pacific Northwest, this would have been considered a snow storm, but here in Idaho?

Ummm.... I'm yet to be convinced. I, however, am not complaining that it didn't snow more. I like this amount just fine. In fact, really I would prefer if the ground stayed visible all winter long, but it was bound to happen right?

I'm hopeful that next week when we're traveling to Washington to see my parents that the roads will be pleasantly clear. Or, at least that we'll make it to their house in good time. A full 6 hours in a car with a 16 month old little boy, makes for a longer trip!



Funny how growing up in Vancouver,WA we could only hope and pray for snow at Christmas time. I remember a couple of times in snowed about this much (above) and we all bundled up in our make-shift snow outfits, ready to assemble teams for a snow ball fight. Growing up, if there was any white substance covering the ground, whether it was 1/2 inch or more.... everything shut down. People don't really do snow over there. This was totally awesome as a kid.... we got snow days off every time it snowed.... which of course was maybe once a year-- twice if we were lucky.
One year while I was in high school it actually snowed a foot or two, we were stranded in our house for days! I hated it.... you see, in Washington-- at least SW Washington, the city doesn't really have access to snow plows, or even have that sandy red stuff to put on the roads..... who ever heard of that?
Everyone is quite content to just sit inside and wait until it melts; this usually happens within a day or so. Unfortunately, that time it snow a couple of feet we got freezing rain on top of it-- which of course turned the beautiful scenery of Vancouver Washington into a perfectly frozen world-- we were stuck inside, unless of course, you wanted to walk somewhere.
I laugh now, because everything in prospective has changed. I lived in a world where people feared the snow, at least driving or going out in it. They avoided this at all cost. Now, since I have lived in Idaho for almost 3 years... I find that people are hilarious driving in RAIN.
I grew up driving in rain almost 9 months of the year. A drizzle, no biggie... a down pour, keep on truckin. Tyler and I were driving to his parents once and while we were on the freeway it started to pour... pretty hard. I looked a few miles in front of us and actually witnessed drivers pulling off to the side of the road to wait out the rain. At first, I couldn't figure out why they were all pulled over, then when I realized why I burst out laughing.
Who ever heard of water falling from the sky stopping a pacific north westerner from driving to their destination? Not me!
Tyler is always afraid of this, not driving in the rain, but hydroplaning. It kind of freaks him out... not me though, doesn't bother me one it. I, however, am a little freaked out when we are fishtailing in the snow................................
So you see--perspective.....it's all perspective.

5 comments:

Katie Stacey said...

We're hoping the weather is good next weekend too. Except we've got about 12 hours in the car and Shera and Brad have about 16. Yikes, 3 kids in the car for that long is going to be a nightmare. Good luck on your trip!

lindquist said...

Yup, it *IS* all perspective. I do think it's funny how they don't think you can drive in rain *OR* snow... but it's a definate: you can't drive in ice! I remember that ice storm.. We didn't get dressed for a few days and watched like 17 movies! It was great!

It is very cold here today. Our temps never drop much below freezing here, but they are expected to not rise above it for at least a week! Now we'll mix that with a little moisture and I think that's the recipe for more pj wearing and movie watchin'!

I love you sister. I'm excited to have your 'brightness' around the house. Especially Quincy's!

Love,
Mom

Kati Howard said...

I HATED being stuck in the house, although it was fun when Chris Hammond came by in his jeep cheroke and we went sledding at Gaiser Middle School.

I can't believe it's that cold over there... it never gets that cold. I guess we better pack some warm clothes.

** oh and Katie, I agree.... no one should ever be subjected to 16 hours in the car trying to entertain children under the ae of 6.

Britany said...

Yea really! Didn't school at BYU I close once when it was like -20 during the day or something? I think that's the only time. My parents were telling me yesterday that church might be cancelled because of snow. It's not even stuck to the ground! It's in drifts! I remember the days....

Kati Howard said...

Ha... yeah I remember that too. It was like -20* with a -30* wind chill and Tyler made us walk to class (we were married and I was pregnant then) I was all bundled up and it didn't matter b/c by the time I got into my building I couldn't feel my entire body!

For heaven's sakes. I think they did cancel classes later that day.... oh the days of canceling everything with a 1/8 inch on the ground huh?