Snow Daze

First - here are the girls representing the US of A for the United Nations Assembly at school on Friday. Not as many kids dressed up as was hoped for but ours really get into the spirit of things. Thursday morning we received a call at 6am - school cancelled due to weather. And I am room parent for 2 classes and therefore must start the "phone tree" calling as prescribed by the school. It's not fun calling parents when you are groggy and haven't had caffeine yet.

This is what the forecasted "chance of snow" looked like at 7am:Normally - school wouldn't be cancelled for snow like this. But on October 30th, not many people have their snow tires on yet and the cities weren't quite ready to handle the removal. It wasn't a soft, dry snow either. It was very heavy and wet. The elementary school relies on a private bus service for about 40% of the student transportation and the rest of the students are driven from all parts of the Zurich area - including ferry from across the lake. Needless to say - it was a messy day out there.


The other risk involved: If you are in an accident in Switzerland and do not have the proper tires on for the season - in this case, snow tires -, the insurance company will not pay for damages. Your loss. Too bad, so sad. And, most likely, the reason the private bus company wasn't running.

We don't get our snow tires on 'til Nov. 10 - I'm driving very carefully!


Gee, don't they look sad about staying home for the day. Eating their "hot lunch" in Rachel's room. They love getting their lunch on trays and then eating them in R's room - playing school. Grilled cheese and tomato soup was on the menu in the 'cafeteria.'

The heavy wet snow did a number on the garden and I have more 'clean up' now than I planned to finish Fall with. I had seen bad weather coming and got the tulips in last Sunday afternoon and pulled out some dying annuals.

The snow cruched most of the ferns, the sedum and many of my hydrangeas - just snapped them right down at the base. Not supposed to happen. So, a bit of extra work and fewer flowers from the hydrangeas next year.

The pic below shows a tree/bush that stands about 10 ft high - and is completely bent over from the weight of the snow. It's still leaning over into the path so will have to chop it down as well. So why am I sitting at the computer when I have so much work to do?

Sad, sorrowful faces of little girls forced to stay home from school and play in the snow.

Prayer request: Have a sweet, almost 5 yr old nephew in the hospital with pneumonia and potential viral complications - praying for JT.