I went to GRR and they have a status update for arrivals and departures. Suzies plane looks to be on time so it should be ready for her down here. 10 days of batching it for me.

Sometimes I ponder why everything comes to a standstill because of snow here in the US. Growing up in Switzerland we never had a snow day, you just go to school. Cars get chains or studded tires and life goes on. And we enjoyed the quiet time at the airport,

In the 13 years I went to Grandville Public Schools [Michigan] we only had one half day due to an ice storm. Northern states take snow in stride, like Switzerland, but mid-southern states don't see much snow, so they have little experience and equipment for removal, and they sure don't know how to drive on it. Just watch the news lately!

Danny - Here's a current 'Michigan picture' for you just in case you miss the Grandville area. It is hard to imagine not seeing the beauty of a winter setting each year, although we will be traveling and cutting down on some of the daily challenges that come with it.

BTW: This is our driveway. Can you tell we'd need a turntable if we ever got our Barth before we sold our home?

Lou

Lou, there is some kinda implement leaned up against the car. Looks like it has an orange handle and some kinda scoop on the other end. Can you help us southerners identify this strange object.

Nick

Glad to enlighten you, Nick. It's a "snowflake bat" designed to whack and destroy each flake before it hits the ground. Obviously I didn't get up early enough this time, however.

We never had a snow day in Alaska, either. Before they opened the new school, I walked 2 miles each way, and some of my schoolmates walked over 3.

The new school was closer to home, but only by cutting through the woods. Many times I carried a .30-06 or 12 ga shotgun, due to bears (Kodiaks don't hibernate). We had a gun rack in the cloak room; bet there aren't many in the Lower 48...

I lived in Maine before I moved to Tampa. I rented an apartment on a corner, and my patio was cose to the other corner apartment. When I unpacked my gear, I put some of the larger stuff on the patio. My neighbor Becky (in a bikini in October - I began to like FL right away) cam over and asked, "What's that?", pointing to my snow shovel. I told her, and she said, "Would you sell it? My husband always asks for one - as a joke - every Christmas." So I sold it to her, she painted it gold, and they hung it over the mantle.

quote:

I walked 2 miles each way

and both ways were up hill!

Of course! It was shorter in the winter because a lake on the route froze and we could walk across instead of around.

Snow boots are good for this too.
if laced tight enough.

I think my worst memories are of walking to Oak Grove Elementry School as a kid. It was less than a mile but it was the coldest time of my life. The school was so cold that the snow didn't melt on the floor and the milk that was delivered in the wee hours of the morning would still have ice in it at lunch time. My teacher, Mrs. Muth, often never took her coat off for weeks. Boy, I love Florida!!!!

quote:

My teacher, Mrs. Muth, often never took her coat off for weeks.

With a name like that it may have been a blessing!

quote:

Snow boots are good for this too.
if laced tight enough.

That was for the rich kids....When I grew up in Michigan, we wore shower clogs when we walked to school in the snow....since it was up hill both ways, we just wrapped them in barbed wire for traction....

Who's next?.....

Barb, who grew up in Manistee, MI and went to catholic school, had to walk each day if it was too bad for the busses to run. And then she learned how to type wearing gloves because there were days with no heat.

Lou

The not so good memories were the older kids (i.e. 6th grade) would throw icy snowballs after the younger ones and dunk them in the snow, stuffing snow down their backs. And Rottweilers do not make good sleddogs (steering is impaired). D