The Perfect Storm

Saying we have had a big snow wallop in the past week is an understatement. 30 inches last weekend for this area and more piled on top of that Tuesday and Wednesday. My Sweetie didn't go to work Wednesday since the DC area was taking a pounding with white out conditions. The Metro and Metro buses quit running. It was a mess. Corridors of I-95 were closed, I'm sure it has happened before but not while we have been here. The most amazing thing of the day was my Sweetie and I got out and went to the post office; I needed to put some orders in the mail. We braved the roads out of our subdivision, very scary since there are 2 very steep hills and then the town bridge to cross. We arrived safely at the post office a few minutes before 4PM and to our amazement the post office was CLOSED. Honestly, I don’t ever remember the post office being closed due to weather.

"Neither snow nor rain nor heat
nor gloom of night
stays these couriers
from the swift completion of their appointed rounds"

This is the New York City’s Postman’s Creed posted on the James Farley Post Office in NYC. I guess Front Royal, VA has a different Postman’s Creed. With all fairness, the weather condition and the road conditions in our area have been perilous. Whatever mail needs to be delivered is not worth the life of one of our mail carriers. I have been surprised over the years at the extreme weather they have trudged through to carry the mail to their customers. Bad weather means a longer delivery day for them as well. I appreciate our post carrier, she always leaves goodies in our mailbox for holidays and brings our packages up to our house rather than leaving a note in the box.

I must say as much as I love snow, I have had enough for this season. The grandkids have been home for almost a week and I think the parents are ready for them to go back to school. I worry about my husband’s commute when the weather is messy like this. Plus we are all experiencing a little cabin fever. I’ve been watching for signs of weather psychosis in our family. I witnessed a glimmer of it Tuesday night in my Sweetie. On his way home from work he stopped at Target to buy some wiper blades for our 4 wheel drive. He called me on his cell phone and told me he had seen some perfectly shaped snowflakes, like the ones I make in my crafts. When he arrived home he came charging into the house to show me the “perfectly shaped snowflakes”. “Look” he said pointing to the sleeve of his coat. Hmmm, I didn’t see anything. As I inspected his sleeve more closely, it occured to me, holy corn ball, he’s losing it. He then opened the door to the back deck and asked our daughter-in-law to come see the “perfectly shaped snowflakes”. The look in her eyes said it all; no way was she going out there. I could see that she was afraid he would push her out the door and slam it shut. A nice hot cup of Earl Grey warmed him up and put him in his right mind. LOL, I think Spring had better arrive soon.