Snow Day!

Happy Saturday from a VERY snowy Northern Virginia!


It's been all over the news that we're getting a wild snowstorm. The reports are true-- it started yesterday within minutes of when the National Weather Service warning went into effect and it's still going strong.

Fortunately, we started hearing snowfall numbers on Wednesday, so we've had plenty of time to stock the pantry, fridge, and "wine cellar" * **. Our electricity's on, too, so the snow's much more of a fun thing than a crisis.

We woke up this morning around 8A and both The Human Male and I had the same idea: we've gotta go to the Dog Park. Alice loves playing in the snow, and typically will do anything to play in it. This morning, however, she was snuggled up in bed and ignored us until about 9A. When she decided it was time to play, we got bundled up, threw on the YakTrax (which worked fabulously. I really highly recommend anyone living in a wintry area get a pair for safety) and assessed the neighborhood's snow situation.

This was Alice in a protected area of our building yesterday at 3P.


Here she is this morning, after they plowed.


This area in between the buildings had about 8 inches of snow; unprotected had about 16. We've definitely gained a few inches more since then.


Overall, the neighborhood looks pretty okay. We did lose a lot of branches out back and a couple of trees ***, and one of our neighbors got stuck pulling out of the parking garage last night and gave up. But it could be worse.




Interestingly, the tree next to our patio, which has been at least 90% dead since we moved in, seems to be holding up the best. Score for the Charlie Brown Christmas Tree!


On our way down to the Park, we saw a couple of our neighbors walking with coffee cups. Could it be that our neighborhood Caribou Coffee was opened?


Yes. Yes, it was. There was one lone employee working in there. I'm not sure if she's the manager, but she's my favorite employee in there (which is saying a lot-- it's a very nice store)-- she's always chipper and calls everyone "hon". I love her.

Our trek to the Park took us a bit longer than usual with the snow.


When we got there, we found that we weren't the only ones that had the idea!


I think we ran into about seven other dogs in total. Everyone was in great spirits. I love how in bad weather, the people who make the effort to venture out have a sense of really happy camaraderie.

The dogs very clearly had a great time, too-- chasing each other around, jumping in the snow, eating sticks.




We're not out of the storm quite yet-- the snow's picked up, the wind's howling, and branches on the trees behind our house are popping and breaking as we speak. But all in all, it could be much worse. I think this is going to be a good weekend.



* We learned last weekend during an 8" snow that people in DC drink straight through snowstorms. We thought this was a neighborhood phenomenon, since we have both a brewery and a wine store a block away. But during a trip to Target on Thursday, we discovered that every single person in line was buying beer. No exaggeration.

** Yesterday one of my coworkers in Santa Barbara, CA asked if I was hunkered down and ready for the snow. I told her that we had food, wine, and movies, so we were good for the duration. She wrote back and said that she has a 200 bottle wine cellar for when they're house-bound. After hearing that, I felt woefully unprepared and made an afternoon trip to the store for a couple extra bottles-- just in case.

*** Late last night we heard a distinct sound of... something. In my haze, it sounded like someone kicking a tupperware or trying to break in. I figured it was ghosts. It ended up that it was the sound of trees breaking. They didn't sound the way I expected.