Seasons in Iowa

It's been a month, sorry. Between being sick, kids going all different directions and this damn white stuff-I don't know where to begin.

Iowa has four seaons, begging to differ with our local city boasting 5 seasons, but just like any other spot on this planet, we have four of them. At this point in life I think they can be listed as such, in no particular order: snow, ice, mud and just damn hot. Snow and ice could be combined to just too damn cold many a times - especially this year. Let's start with the first one on the list-snow.

This year, per our lovely weather guy(which has gotten just about every weather forecast right this winter!) since the first snow fall on November 21st, we have had an average of 52% of our days with snow. Laymans thinking, it snowed every other day this so far. On a further sour note, we are at 3.75 feet of snow in our area which if the trend continues, will be a record breaking season of snow, that goes as far back at the 1950's. Truth be told, it is pretty to look at but so is the moon and I never plan on going there. Calgone, take me away-preferably some place warm and without the seasons of mud and just too damn hot.

This last one was indeed a record breaker. 14.5 inches in Cedar Rapids, while outlying areas got about that much, more or less. I'm going with the more side. Living in the county has it's benefits. First off I can see any and all storms coming in and truth be told, I love to watch God's hand at work. Second off, the landscapers come and change the scenery on a regular basis. The down fall to the country, especially during the winter, snow bound kids, stuck trucks and when it finally all melts, there is a huge mess to clean up. I managed to make it into work on Wednesday am. No biggy really but funny that the people in town didn't head in while I had a 20 min drive down the highways and byways that were reported as travel not advised. Boss kicked me out at 11 because, well, I think he wanted to go home while there was still a chance of him getting there. So I meet my comic of a husband at the grocery store for those last minute snow supplies. Okay, I'm a bad mom-left the no school crew with quart of milk and just a few slices of bread. David was having way too much fun in the empty store and it caught on. My mother called and the only thing I could think of to say was-I'm stuck in the ditch in the middle of nowhere...... I think you can get the silence on the other end of the cell phone-a little stutter and I had to give in and say no, I'm fine.

So we head home. And they were right-travel was not advised. Got stuck turning off the hwy to the main road to the house. Got unstuck and up the road to turn around at the village. Made it home, this time with David in the lead. Parked out on the road, grabbed the groceries and told the boys to dig out the drive and park the burb for me. It really wasn't that cold, but the snow was falling and blowing and remind me to tuck in my shirt-yes, it went up there too and it's cold!

Upon entering the house, I am greeted by a 10 yr old who looks like she hasn't been up more then 5 mins, it's currently noon. When in fact I am told that she was up just after I left at 6:30am. In the five hours I was gone, she moved the entire stock of her bed to the front room and was surrounded by hundreds of stuffed animals. It was hard to tell where Fred, Clairee or even the kid was in that pile. She had watched all but the last 2 hours of the original Ten Commandments, had cocoa puffs for breakfast, not gotten dressed, brushed her teeth nor her hair. Yes it was a site. Also note-her brother was home also, he had just gotten up. Wish I could have snow days like this. So Mom comes in, takes over and rouses the house. Meredith off to take a shower and get dressed, plus relocate her collection back to her bedroom. Alec had to get dressed also, heaven forbid and go out and help clear the drifts so the burb could get in the drive.

Then comes the fun part-letting the four legged crew out to potty. The drifts along side the house were far enough away to provide a 2ft wide lane from the front gate to the front door. Othewise, it was like dunes in the desert. They kept moving, shifting and growing. The boys were in heaven. My guys are not afraid of the snow, they live for it. Bouncing through them, creating trails, fox and goose games going on. Find a somewhat flat spot to pee and off they go again. Fred makes doggy angels, lots of them. Groaning the entire time. Eddie got bogged down in one of the deepest drifts, which, unfortunately, gave Albert the perfect opportunity to attack. That's okay, later that night someone tried to bury Albert and he came in the house looking like a white cardigan with specticles. And if they couldn't bounce over them, they would go to the side and tunnel. So I let the collies out. Cardigans really try to keep up but that doesn't happen. New tactic, let the collies break the trail then follow, grab the tail or butt hair in Clairee's case and get a sled ride. Yes the dogs do know how to have fun. It was very hard to get them inside.

Later on when the sun came out, David and Meredith dug snow caves and tunnels in a few of the larger drifts. I, took a nap, though I was thinking I really should be at work. Oh well, hope I can get out in the morning(that almost didn't happen either). Now it's time to wait for the dreaded no school annoucements. These poor kids will have to go till the middle of summer to make up what they missed. Then again, I had no spring break, walked ten miles uphill both ways to the bus stop.........

Later gator---not looking forward to the next season-MUD!

C