After Friday’s unexpected snow day, I started paying closer attention to the weather. I get one day off and then I want another–even when I don’t really want it! (Kind of like eating one piece of chocolate and then another and another until you have a pile of wrappers in front of you, feel faintly queasy and have no idea what just happened. Not that that’s ever happened to me!) And lo and behold! Rumors of an impending storm surfaced and rippled through the school. My students, my colleagues and I spent much of yesterday speculating about the storm track and likely outcomes.
“We’re going to have a snow day tomorrow,” a student announced as he walked in the door.
“Yeah. It’s gonna snow a lot!” another offered in support and small voices chimed in with their thoughts and their parents’ predictions. “My mom says…”
“Oh, I think we’ll be here,” I said, trying to steer the day into more productive directions (and to subdue the inner child in me that leapt about, fist pumping at the idea of another day in PJs.)
“Nope. We won’t have school,” the first student maintained with sublime confidence.
Conversation in the Teacher’s Room at lunchtime wasn’t much different. The air buzzed with intense speculation.
“Do you think we’ll have school?”
“What does SnowDayCalculator say?”
“Why isn’t it snowing yet? Wasn’t it supposed to start late morning?”
“Maybe it’s delayed. It might linger later into the morning then. That would be good.”
“What happens if there’s a delay? I heard we still have to be here on time anyway?”
We compared forecasts, theorized about likelihoods, and some of us maintained, with straight faces, that we didn’t really want a snow day with all that needed to happen this week. (I am convinced, though, that I was not the only one with an irrepressible, wildly-hopeful, grinning, PJ-clad inner child dancing about in anticipation.) Eventually we decided a 2-hour delay might be a possibility and would probably be the best outcome.
As lunch ended a colleague whipped out her smart phone and reported. “SnowDayCalculator says it’s a 78% chance for a snow day tomorrow.” Not great odds, but not too bad either. We all smiled and headed off to lunch duty.
Last night I watched the chances go down, down, down. By late evening chances of a snow day had diminished to 56%. Not at all likely.
Before heading to bed, I donned my pajamas inside out (in a last ditch effort to entice a snow day from the weather gods) and then took a look at Laura Shovan’s latest photo prompt. (For more information about her wonderful Found Object Poetry Project click on the link.) My short response was colored by the buzz of the day, the fun of snow day speculation, and the declining likelihood of a day off or a delay.
Winter Sorrow
Looking at the treadmarks
crisscrossing
a mere tracery of snow
I sigh,
resigned,
No snow day.
Epilogue: Moments ago the phone just rang. At this time in the morning it meant only one thing–snow day or delay! And…wait for it….it’s a 2 hour delay! Perfect!
Nix the comfort zone 
We’re closed today (near Bangor). Have a great day!
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Hope you enjoyed your day, Kim. Snow days really are the best!
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Such a beautiful poem, thanks for the reminder that we can find poetry anywhere and everywhere!
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Wait, there’s a snow day calculator?? I want to laugh and cry at the same time! Thanks for sharing these meteorological slices that capture the many vibes around school when snow is in the air.
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Check it out, Brian–www.snowdaycalculator.com! Thanks for reading and commenting.
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Love that our paths criss-crossed at Sol16 this morning. Your poem for Laura’s challenge would be a welcomed addition to my upcoming gallery, Winter Wanderings. Please see the invitation at http://beyondliteracylink.blogspot.com/2016/01/invitation-to-create.html. If interested, please send your poem and photo (note that it is compliments of MLHahn), your name & location at bottom to cvarsalona at gmail. Thanks.
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Thanks so much for the invitation, Carol! I’ve e-mailed you.
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What is a snow day calculator? I’ve never heard of that (but think I should no what it is).
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Stacey–Everyone should know! 😉 It’s a website that predicts the likelihood of your having a snow day based on forecasts, number of snow days already and type of school. http://www.snowdaycalculator.com. Warning–It’s also addictive!
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Your snow day hopes were mine…sadly, only yours came through! Love the poem!
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The anticipation of a snow day always lingers in a teacher’s soul. I loved the way you brought us through the day and into the night. Thank goodness for the epilogue! I hope you enjoyed your extra two hours. BTW, have you ever read Snow Day! by Lester Laminack? Perfect to pair with this slice.
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Thanks, elsie. I thoroughly enjoyed my extra two hours. I haven’t read Snow Day! but will certainly be looking it up.
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I love your poem! This crazy weather has us thinking along the same lines. We haven’t had a full day of school yet this week, and it does make me crave one more day to sit here in my pjs, sipping coffee, reading slices, and writing poems.
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Better than a snow day for me was a two hour delay. It still counted as a day of school. The day had a compacted energy that comes with such change.
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