The Blizzard

Promises of snowstorms have passed with mere dustings this winter. This one is a whole 'nuther story!

With school closed for the day, all of P's neighbor buddies powwowed last night and planned a snowball fight. For eight thirty. A.M.. For a child who burns the midnight oil, this seemed laughable, but he popped out of bed bright and early and zoomed downstairs to join the fray. The dads formed a team and fighting escalated. Snowballs whizzed everywhere, trash can lids (it is Brooklyn) were employed as defenses, snowball making tools were wildly wielded.

Soon enough, the wise fathers realized they had to shovel their walks (city ordinances) and told the kids it was time to make a fort. I was pretty impressed with their ingeniousness (they are all native New Yorkers.) All 8 kids grabbed their snowshovels (P included) and cleaned the walks into a big pile :) The bigger backs helped and packed and eventually a fort took shape. Then the gang split up for warmth, food and sledding, only to meet again a few hours later. The fort grew some more. The Little Man packed a zillion snowballs. Snowmen appeared everywhere. It was white and deep and cold and wet and beeeeautiful.

And its still snowing as we go to bed - late. Later than usual ;) Because, while I was dreamily looking out the window before bed, a huge tree gave way under its wet, snowy weight and cracked down, right onto a minivan... and all of the way across the street onto another car. This meant that our dark house was soon aglow with warm red lights from the police car below. And then filled with the faint sounds of a chain saw revving between wind whooshes as the fireman cut and hauled and cut and hauled... It was so cozy, sitting warmly above the radiator on the wide window ledge, looking out at the snow in the whirling lights and swirling snow. E left his sick bed (he had turned in early after a long day) to join us... because it was just too damn picturesque on his way back from the bathroom :) P, curled on my lap, yawned and leaned his (very tired) head onto my shoulder, sighing, "This is so lovely...."

Tomorrow: sledding :) I'm so excited!!!