Weather Extremes and a Mystery

Snow, freezing temperatures, more snow, ice, and rain.  The last 48 hours have seen all of these.  Over the weekend temperatures plummeted to zero and below.  Add high winds to that and it has been extremely cold.  This was followed  with some light snow on Saturday which meant lots of blowing drifting snow as well. Monday was Presidents' Day and in the afternoon we had some more snow.  But the temperatures were rising as well so we had snow, which changed to sleet and finally to rain.  This morning when we woke up everything was icy.  However, the temperatures continued to rise and so by 9 it was warm enough that it was raining and the snow and ice was melting.  Most of the schools had a two hour delay today, but School District of Lancaster was closed so hubby was home until mid afternoon when he went to see his afternoon client.  By about 3 the sun was shining brightly.  At least a lot of snow melted in the last 12 hours, but that also led to flooding in some areas.

We had stayed home all day Sunday which was also Valentine's Day because of the extreme cold.  But the strangest thing happened in the middle of the night. We were both sleeping soundly when suddenly we awoke to hear a cat meowing.  We do not have a cat!  It sounded like the cat was right in our bedroom with us.  Hubby got up to check it out.  He looked around the room and the house, but there was no cat.  He did, however, find that our visitor had left a present for us in the middle of the living room floor.  Hubby is always an early riser and is often awake anywhere from three to four in the morning, so he decided to just get up.  Even though he looked some more he couldn't find the cat.  When I got up we looked some more - under furniture, in closets, anywhere we thought a cat might hide.  But no cat!  All day Monday, I kept my eyes open for a cat or even evidence of a cat.  Nor did we see or hear anything overnight or today.

So the mystery is where did that cat come from?  The doors and windows were all locked.  We had not been out during the day.  Did he somehow slip in when the door was opened to let our son-in-law in that morning? Or did he come in when we took something out to the sunroom?  Or did he somehow find a hold large enough to crawl through from under the house? And where did he go? We just don't know. That still remains a mystery!

Snowy Surprise!

So I'm not too great at keeping up my blog on a daily or even a weekly basis, but life sure is busy and I guess this blog is not top priority. Keeping up with the daily demands of a full time job, coming home to fix dinner, etc., etc. and also trying to occasionally post on the blog I started for recording memories from myself and my siblings . . . well, enough with the excuses!

I love surprises! And it is especially neat to realize that I have been given a special surprise from my heavenly Father. In spite of the inconvenience of the surprise snowstorm this week, I did enjoy looking out and enjoying the beauty of that 12 inches of snow we received. And it is still beautiful in our area three days later.

I'm not a weather person - I usually ask my wonderful hubby what the weather for the day will be when I am getting dressed in the morning. However, in my position as director of a preschool and kindergarten program, one of my tasks is to make the decision whether or not we will have a delay or cancellation, so I pay pretty close attention to the possible advent of snow in the wintertime. So on Tuesday as the weatherman was calling for flurries throughout the day, I wasn't too concerned. Even when Elvin came home about 7 in the evening and said it was snowing rather heavily, I really wasn't too concerned. But as I listened to the nightly news at 11 before going to bed, I heard the weatherman talking about this strange weather anomaly that was occurring where it was snowing at the rate of 2-3 inches per hour in a very narrow band of about an 8 mile width in part of Lancaster County that included Lititz and Manheim Township, I paid attention. I looked out the window and sure enough it was snowing and there were several inches on the ground.

But it was still a big surprise to wake up Wednesday morning and see 12 inches in our backyard. It was a light, fluffy snow and the trees were hanging heavy with snow, but it was oh so beautiful. I was reminded once again, that try as we might man does not control the weather and even our wonderful modern technology misses the boat occasionally. God was in control and He decided to surprise us by covering the earth with the beauty of the freshly fallen snow. He baffled even the weatherman who could neither predict that we would have so much snow or figure out exactly why it was such a narrow area that was hit. After making the early morning calls to the staff and calling the radio and TV stations and calling for a two hour delay, it was wonderful to step outside and take in the beauty all around me. Even the long slow drive (twice as long as normal) to my 8:30 meeting gave me time to enjoy the snowy surroundings.

Tired of Being Sick

Do you know how much I suddenly appreciate the blessings of good health? Probably not, unless you have just experienced a week such as I have. I have unfortunately succumbed to the stomach virus/flu bug that is running rampant in the area and so I have had a miserable week. It started Tuesday morning; here it is Friday afternoon and I really can't say that I am back to health. Tuesday afternoon I was totally wiped out. Laid on the couch watching TV -- actually more sleeping with the TV on than actually watching it. I was trying to watch because if you recall that was the day of the impending ice storm and I had to know what was going on in case I had to call for an early dismissal. (Oh, the "joys" of being the director of a preschool/kindergarten program!) I really couldn't tell you what was on TV since I was in and out of consciousness most of the afternoon and evening. Up by 5 the next morning to again check the weather and see if we needed to have a delay, I realized I was so totally exhausted and still not feeling well. So Day 2 of the illness commenced.

Finally, by early afternoon, I felt I was getting over the stomach and intestinal stuff and actually ate a little soup and did a little work from home. But alas, it wasn't over. By early evening the "cold" symptons set in and I spent several hours sneezing, blowing my nose, coughing - you know the drill. Well, I dragged myself to work yesterday; not sure why, but I did and managed to get a little bit of work done; came home about three and crashed. Got up today, felt a bit better, and went to work until one when I decided it was time to quit, come home, rest up and try to kick this cold.

On the way home, I was thinking about how often I take good health (or at least relatively normal health) for granted. I can get up and go to work without thinking a whole lot about how I feel. I'm looking forward to the return of that feeling and hoping it will be soon -- very, very soon.

Snowy Thoughts

I hate winter, but I do love to see it snow. How's that for a contradiction? What is it about snow that makes us think of all that is pure and good? Watching the snowflakes fall gently and gracefully from the sky is one of life's unexpected simple pleasures in life. That is, of course, is you don't have to be out driving in it or trying to make a decision of whether or not to close school for the day or call for a delay. But being able to sit inside and look out the window and watch the snow falling is beautiful. The unexpected cancellations make it seem like a holiday, better yet a vacation day. Since they are unplanned, it leaves me feeling like I have a free day to do whatever I want. Since I can't do what I had planned, why not just relax and enjoy the day? It is usually a day that I can be lazy and not feel guilty. I can sit and read a book without being concerned with the work around the house that isn't getting done - after all housework was not on my agenda for that day anyway! it's a day for puttering..., playing..., hot chocolate..., etc. Whatever comes to mind. It's a day for relaxing - at least until one has to start shoveling.

Unfortunately, the snow stops falling and life slowly (or quickly sometimes) returns to normal. And then I am reminded that I really don't like winter. The cold and wet and dampness sets in and very quickly the beautiful white of the new fallen snow turns to the dirty slush or mounds along the sidewalks and streets. The beauty is gone and the harsh reality sets in once again. The things that had been planned suddenly need to be done and the demands of life are once again upon us. But the memory lingers on; for that time, no matter how short, that I watched the falling snow, I rejoiced in the beauty of the falling snow. I allowed time to stand still and relaxed to enjoy it. The snow seems like a special gift from God to allow time for me in a busy schedule.