Get this--

No school tomorrow! I've had a great time, believe me, but I'm going a little crazy. I love the time off, I've done a lot of things that I've wanted to do, but enough is enough. How will we ever make this up? I'm sure we'll find out about it all tomorrow. Teachers are supposed to show up at 9:30 ish, and then we have a staff meeting. I'm half wondering if they're going to make us shovel some snow. Apparently it's still extremely dangerous for bus drivers/riders/walkers. So we're not even sure if school is actually going to happen on Wednesday.

This has been such an odd time, we seriously have never ever had anything like this happen before. It's cost our little district over $700,000 to clear snow. There is no budget for this, really, but apparently FEMA will pay us back. Humm...fema. anyway, I'm sure there will be something more interesting to report soon....other than the weather.

Anyway , what to do except enjoy the remaining hours of freedom. Hopefully I'll still have some summer vacation when all is said and done.

Internet Radio

Believe it or not, there are no good radio stations in the area. I don't know what it is. I mean, we have the 9:30 Club and the Black cat? Why can't we hang out to a radio station that actually would play musicians that show up at these venues. Argh.

Anyway, who needs it anyway, when you can scan the internet for other real radio stations. Like WNRN! Hello? This radio station is located in Charlottesville, VA. And I love it. They play music that I actually like.

Check them out--

http://www.wnrn.org/2010/02/wnrns-anti-valentines-show/

And tonight they have a special show for Valentine's day-- um, it's the anti-valentine's day themed music. AWESOME!

There's also some station in Pittsburgh that plays decent music, but I forget the station name.... ARgh! But it's public too!

Come on DC get it together!

happy heart day for those of you you enjoy it.

(I do, sometimes)

-sigh-

I miss people.

tetris

I still love this game, and had a fair amount of time to practice it in my freshman year at college (I never owned any kind of video game system). You can play it for free here:

http://www.neave.com/games/nblox/

Article from 1999

Most of you who read this know that I grew up as a State Department brat. I moved around every 2-4 years until I went to college (and then continued the tradition on my own). For eight of my years we managed to live in Bonn, Germany. First time was from 1976-1980, and then again from 1989 - 1993. I remember quite a lot because it had never really changed.

It was kind of like time stopped and kids were allowed to be kids, walk to the movie theatre, meet up with other kids to go to get pizza, catch a game of basketball, walk to school, walk to the HUGE park.

Of course it was Germany, and well, we got into trouble too, but most of all it was probably like how America was in the 1950's...(the positive parts).

So here's a little article I found on the internet. Makes me kind of sad.

http://www.nytimes.com/1999/08/15/world/at-little-america-in-bonn-lights-are-going-out.html?pagewanted=all

I think we're done.

The sun is out, let the melting begin. I think this will be the last of it, although Northern Virginia has been known to get a couple of hits with snow in March. I hope not though. I'm very much done with all this wintry weather.

We broke 180 year record. Most snow ever recorded, I think. It's been truly amazing, but at the same time, I can't wait to get out of the house, and go somewhere. I don't know where I'd be able to park, but still, I think it's time to get out of the house for a significant period of time.

The snow should melt away. It's supposed to be in the 30's, the sun is supposed to stay out. Those are the 2 things we need right about now.

We're already off from school tomorrow too. I think that will be the last one. I haven't been to school since last Tuesday! It's been nice, and I think one of the first projects I might do when we get back might be spring related.... Who knows?

I hope to post a few pictures soon! So you can see just how much we've gotten.

Stay warm out there my friends (although, some of you do not have to worry about that at all - you know who you are).

strike that--

Noooo....not 4-8 inches.

Now it's 12-18 inches!

Where is this stuff coming from?

Our neighborhood is going crazy. I'm trying to stay off the listserv, but I keep getting these messages that are so full of panic. It's like people are hysterical. I don't think people realize that this is just not normal. It really isn't. I haven't seen this much snow ever. It's really odd to be hit with so much snow. But a few people in the neighborhood are using the listserv to complain, not to help. It bothers me, and I've posted one message because I was upset at the reaction to the snow by some people. Basically people were mad at their neighbors for not shoveling or clearing their snow. So I just wrote that technically no one has to remove any snow-- but on the other hand, I'm sure people are doing what they can.

Our neighborhood is mixed. There are many old people, single people, couples, people with kids, people who travel. I've been helping people, but the reality of it is, this is tons of snow! There is no place for the snow to go. I just want people to relax-- there's no school, the metro at our stop is not running, federal government is closed. Snow removal is backbreaking work, and if someone has a complaint they should talk to a neighbor, not belittle them namelessly on a listserv.

Ugh-- opps, I guess I just complained myself. Ok- enough of that. Like any of you care about my neighborhood....

So- we're awaiting the extra snow. It should all begin in about 1/2 hour.

I really can't wait until spring at this point. It's going to be fantastic.

And again it begins.

No school tomorrow. 4-8 more inches expected between Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday night! At this rate my blog sounds more like a weather channel than a blog. It was nice to be outside today, though. It was sunny, I went on a walk with the Lhotse. Tomorrow I plan on a day of making art, maybe do a little baking, taking the Lhotse on another walk.

I also need to go on a grocery store mission. We have no eggs left, and a little bit of milk. J went out earlier today - no eggs and no milk. Hopefully the big trucks can drop off another shipment of the necessary items to the local grocery stores before the next round of winter weather.

I'm ok with the time off, but at this rate making up the school days is going to hurt, whenever that's going to happen.

Snowpocalypse 2010!

We have just about survived. It basically all started on Friday at 10 a.m. and continued on and on until about 6 p.m. last night. We have a boat load of snow out there. Just about 2 feet! Again! I didn't take any pictures yet, but the sun is shining brightly and sure to melt a little bit of it away. Although, the temperatures are brutal right now-- only about 20 degrees outside!

Yesterday we lost power at about 11 a.m., just right before I was about to take a shower, but luckily, just after we finished our second cappuccino (phew.) Power was out all day. We had no internet, no tv.. just us, books, and lots of art making (pictures to come soon).

It was a welcome day of relaxing, playing games, reading, and resting. Jarle retreated to the car for a short time to listen to a basketball game on the radio, I made stuff. I guess if we had a smart phone or something we would have still been in contact with some part of the world, but oh well! We just have the cheap cell phones.

We took Lhotse for a walk around the neighborhood, sans leash! She loved running free. Every so often she would turn around and check to make sure we were still there. We'll probably do it again, although we'll have to make sure she's leashed this time. Too many people are trying to leave the neighborhood today (idiots).

So, we did have a working stove, and I made a huge batch of black bean soup! We had extra bottles of wine lying around, and it was quite the night filled with Jenga, cards, and Scrabble ( I lost big time on scrabble-- usually it's close, but I lost out on all those triple word scores, darn it).

It managed to get pretty cold, pretty quickly and we bundled up in our blankets and down comforters and read until we couldn't hold our eyelids open anymore. And wouldn't you know it- at about 11:30 p.m. the power came back on, the heat clicked on again, and we fell asleep with smiles on our face.

Now the hard part begins, cold temperatures, lots of snow to move and shovel. School is already canceled for tomorrow, and I think Tuesday will be canceled as well. Tuesday also has a forecast of snow, through Wednesday. I think we're expected to get another 6 inches of snow, and no real warm up in sight. When will we ever make it back to school again? Will we lose our spring break? Will we go extra days at the end of the year? I have no idea. I'm sure the school board is pondering our fate at this very moment.

I do know one thing, I've actually really enjoyed being stuck inside with my sweet husband and little dog. Later today we'll venture out and tackle all what's outside, but for now I'll still pretend we're completely snowed in.

And so it begins...

Sent to me via e-mail from the wonderful City of Alexandria:

Winter Storm Warning Update for the City of Alexandria

For Immediate Release: February 5, 2010

A Winter Storm Warning is in effect for the City of Alexandria, beginning this morning and concluding Saturday evening. Accumulations of 20 to 28 inches are possible; near-blizzard conditions and heavy winds are expected. Be prepared for extremely limited mobility for several days.

oh sickness, please go away

It's been since Sunday I've felt completely under the weather. Ugh, it's that same ears, nose, throat gross stuff. It just won't leave my body. I can't really breathe, let alone talk. Yesterday, I could barely communicate with my students. It must have seen like a mime show to them! They said I would be really good a charades. HA! They were right. We even have those sound systems in our classroom, and the microphone couldn't pick up my whisper at all!

However, today, it's another snow day! Saving me from having to be at school today. I'll take it. It's unexpected, and actually the roads are pretty clear now, but that's just fine. Tomorrow, is another story. I think I'm going to have to call in. I'm not feeling any better, and I think I need one more days of meds and sleep. I would really like to kick this thing before the end of the week.

So speaking of the end of the week, we're supposed to get the snow storm of the century! And I quote Channel 7 weatherman: By the weekend you could be measuring the snow by the yard stick instead of the ruler.

Yikes, not characteristic of Virginia weather at all. In fact, down in Charlottesville they're calling for 2-4 FEET! WHAT? I'm truly hoping that it isn't that much, if here in Alexandria we get much more, we're going to be going to school in July!

So wish me luck, and that I'm on the road to recovery.

A new painting started...

With the time I do have on my hands (not much) I've definitely been making an effort to make art. It's tough, especially since I just can't seem to stay away from larger sizes. But hopefully I can get on a roll, create enough for a new portfolio and maybe even apply for an MFA.... (scared).

So this is just a start, I collaged, and now I'm in the actual process of painting. For some reason I've taken to things that are fractals. -- So for my first fractal inspired art--- a FERN! Hopefully I'll go down the line of other interesting fractals, like snow, leaves, nautilus shells (I heart those).