Monday, December 15, 2008

WIMPS

The Camas School District canceled school today due to "inclement weather."

It was a total set-up.

Last Friday, Nels's preschool handed out notices mentioning that snowstorms were being forecast for early in the following week, and that his school would be observing any district closures.

Well, it snowed on Sunday as predicted.  But instead of continuing to snow that night, it was just really windy. No snow on Monday.  Clear skies.  Clear roads. No ice.  I didn't even bother checking for closures.  Who cancels school just because it's winter?

My first clue that something was up came when we stepped out the door and I realized that I hadn't seen the school bus go by our house this morning.  (It stops right next door to us.)  My second clue came when Willem reached the edge of our porch stairs and refused to take another step.  He just stood there in the frigid air and wailed.  Of course I couldn't really hear his cries all that well. They were carried off by the wind.

I made my way through the empty (and COMPLETELY CLEAR) streets to the school. It was deserted. My theory is that all the teachers in Camas had been counting on taking Monday off and, when the snow failed to materialize, decided to go ahead and do it anyway.  (OK, yes, it was MISERABLY cold.  And I did hit one small patch of ice on the drive home.  Still.)

Nels summed up the sadness of the morning in a poignant moment of self-awareness as we pulled out of the empty parking lot:

"I like BEING at school, but I don't like GETTING there."

Amen, Nels.  Amen.

5 comments:

Unknown said...

I'm surprised that things weren't icier for you guys. Our whole neighborhood is like an ice skating rink-- it made for a rather suspenseful drive to the store to get chains! This may be the only day this week that Jeff has to go to work-- even the district offices closed yesterday!

Gypmar said...

Yikes--I do hate driving on the ice! Had it been icy on our streets, I would have been the first to declare myself house-bound. Suspenseful indeed.

Sounds like we're gearing up tonight for some of that infamous "freezing rain." Ooh! I can hardly wait.

Amy said...

We have had great (well I think it is) weather south of Portland too! I love the snow and am rejoicing with the days Jared gets off. Looks like we are supposed to get another big dose of it tomorrow and it may last a few weeks! Woohooo! That never happens here.

Gypmar said...

Good for you guys, Amy! If ever there was a time for Jared to have some extra time at home, this is it :)

Unknown said...

It's kind of funny...I have a friend who was telling me last year that Minneapolis schools never close. It seems that there is irrationality in opposite directions. There they close too soon, here they are too stubborn to ever close. People are funny.