Remember The Days..

Remember the days when snowdays were so infrequent that they were truly something that were cherished and anticipated? As the radio stations announce the fact that virtually all buses are cancelled I look outside and wonder why. Yes, there is snow on the ground. But yes, I also live in Canada! We're the typical stereotype for snow and cancelling the buses every other day is like admiting that we can't even handle a little bit of the wet fluffy stuff! Granted, there are days when buses should be cancelled, but other days it seems to be a lot of hype and a lot of undue paranoia.

I can remember sitting at the window as a child, watching those perfect little snowflakes drift to the ground with wonder in my eyes. Not wonder at their magical beauty, but wonder that they could give me an unscheduled day of freedom in the morning if enough of them collected unexpectedly.

In my younger days I woke up more often than not to my parents saying "It's time to get out of bed for school.." when there was a heavy snowfall the night before..Very rarely did I wake up and look at my alarm clock and jump out of bed to put my feet on the cold floor only to discover that there was TOO much snow to go to school that day and it was perfectly okay that I had slept in!

But let me tell you, when that DID happen, it wasn't taken lightly. Over breakfast we'd discuss our plans for the day. Snowforts, snowmen, snowball fights, skiing, tobagganing and other general snow activities were our always our top choices and it was not uncommon for us (sometimes along with nearby kids) to spend the entire day out in the wet snow until we were completely exhausted with rosy pink cheeks and that sparkle in your eye that only fresh air can give you. We'd spend hours perfecting snowforts and dragging out all sorts of 'tools' from the garage and house to aid us with our building techniques. We could spend even more of these wonderful hours making up our own little worlds in these places, school being the farthest thing from our minds. After a long day in the fresh air we'd come inside to hot chocolate and other random snowday activites. In our younger days I can remember finding an empty box that transported into a spaceship, a canoe and houseboat. All to provide us grand adventures in the span of mere minutes. The imaginations we had ran wild and we were completely satisfied to let them take over our minds and fully enjoy our newfound freedom. There was just something so exciting about having an entire day where you couldn't go anywhere and nothing needed to be done..you were simply allowed to BE..with no restrictions or obligations looming over your head.

For certain members of my family, the best part of a snowday was if they power went out. Especially if they power went out at night before the dreaded bedtime. When this happened we always dragged candles out and lit them until the house basked in the glowing light that only candles can give off. It was then that we'd pull out boardgames and over the dining room table would play games for hours together as a family. No distractions, no electronics, nothing that could hinder the fun and adventures. There was something magical about knowing that you couldn't just go and do something else, there was nothing else to do. You were granted the time to spend with your family without feeling like there was something else that you wanted to do or had to do and you could just truly enjoy each others company. That feeling is one of the nicest memories of my childhood that I have. That pure and utter love and contentment of knowing that when it came down to it, even if you were trapped in the same house and no electricity, you still had each other.

But now, I must run, because even on the days when children are still being given that little bit of paradise called a 'snowday'..adulthood is calling my name and I must go and be a productive member of society. But don't feel sorry for me as this lovely snowday continues without my participation because every now and then during my busy day I'll sneak a memory of past snowdays into my thoughts if for nothing else but to warm my soul.