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SNOW DAY IN DORCHESTER
We awoke on Monday morning to a beautiful snow fall that covered the Norway Spruce tree canopy
that covers our driveway. The radio gave us notice that it was a snow day for students extending the Christmas vacation. The schools are open for students and staff who can safely find their way but there are no school buses running.
If the Thames Valley School Board closes the schools they lose the Ontario Department of Education grants. Not to worry the teenagers will check the web site and smile roll over in their warm beds very happy at their good fortune.
The parents for the most part do not have the excuse that the snow gives them a day off work in the
city and make their way grudgingly into work .
John Biggs, the Easy 101 radio announcer, tells us: "to go slow in the snow, keeping both hands on the wheel and eyes on the road." I listen to him every morning to hear what the road conditions are in the area. The weather forecast/local news and a humourous story or two is a nice start to the day starting at five in the morning.
Working/ counselling students from my home office there are no worries to drive into London to join the traffic snarls in the city. Living on Hamilton Road the Middlesex Township Snow ploughs do an excellent job of ploughing and sanding the roads. When you drive into London the side streets are too often a mess with the drivers slipping and sliding into each other. This morning there was an accident at Hamilton Road and Veteran’s Park Way ; we decided not to thread our way into the city to go to the Y.
To keep Ella in shape I encouraged her to shovel the deck while I helped a little directing the flow of the snow. The drive way is over 800 feet long; too hard for Ella to shovel. We have hired Dan Tanti, an affable young hard working young man, who arrived in the nick of time to plough the heavy snow.
So you want to know what we are going to-day with the snow day? Ella is helping me make some delicious banana, raisin, cranberry, apple sauce oatmeal cookies and muffins. Ella brags to her friends that "her recipe calls for absolutely no sugar" but she forgets that there are lots of decadent chocolate chips to adorn our sumptuous creations.
A cup of Jasmine tea and the muffins seems to sweetens the day as we watch the winter-wonderland right outside our door. Ella is reading Hillary Clinton’s new book, "What Happened." I am composing a letter to the editor, Wendy Spence to share my day with you the readers.
We have intentionally turned off the TV/radio news of the day that focuses on doom and gloom that seems to be the raison d’etre of the networks.
Honor, our Poodle, has enjoyed her romp in the deep snow and has fallen fast asleep in the family room in front of the gas fireplace.
The snow day has allowed us to sit back in our easy chairs and kick of our shoes and for one day shut
off the outside noise from interfering with our personal tranquil simple life.
I feel a sincere sense of gratitude for being blessed by the infinite power of nature with it’s abundance of snow to take it easy and simply enjoy the tranquility of the day.
With a little bit of luck we all can have many more snow days to enjoy before the winter wonderland of snow provides nature’s gift of water to our crops and flowers.
Have a sensational day in the snow. Len Lesser is a resident of Dorchester.
Len Lesser