kiwords

What a weekend we’ve had around here. Saturday dawned grey and cold. There were rumors flying around about a snowstorm moving in, and by mid morning it was here. Not that much snow, maybe three inches? Four inches? Two inches? I have no idea. It was enough snow to give the kids in the neighborhood kids a full weekend of sledding joy.
Since school started the neighborhood gaggle has dwindled. Kids who roamed free all summer long, slamming each other’s front doors and eating each other’s snacks have retreated to their own houses. Their own food, their own entertainment. Occasionally they would emerge, blinking in the light, to ride their bikes for a bit, but for the most part it has been quiet in these parts.
Odd then that what it would take to draw them all outside again would be a weekend like this one. Bitterly cold and snowy. All day yesterday and most of the day today they sledded down each other’s front yards. Every so often they would come inside for some hot chocolate. Today the whole troop ended up at my house. By the front door was a mountain of discarded soggy coats and gloves and hats. Kids with snow-scrubbed cheeks sat around the table, sipping hot cocoa and playing Monopoly. Max and Natalie retreated from the big kids into the other room for a game of Hi-Ho Cherry-O.
I am not a snow lover, myself. I whine when it snows. I retreat to a hot bath and threaten to stay there until spring. But after this weekend I may have to reconsider my bad attitude. Anything that draws the kids away from their GameBoys and SpongeBob can’t be all that bad. I still prefer summer, but this is kind of nice.
Remind me of that right around January, ok?