Everything's Just Wonderful

I am still trudging through the snow but life continues.  My life is full of big decisions and small decisions.  Work is making some changes to its structure which might benefit me.  More state policy and maybe even some traveling might be in future. At the same time, I am looking into becoming an AuPair. I am currently speaking with families in Belgium, Switzerland, Germany, and Ireland. All of the families seem wonderful and would give me the opportunity to travel around Europe, learn a language, and spend every other day playing with kids!

I can feel Spring around the corner as pitchers and catcher reported this week for baseball. The snow is melting VERY VERY slowly but it is in fact melting. Janille (another friend from Chapman) is moving to DC for work! Alisha is coming to visit in just a few weeks.  Then I am off to New York for to be reunited with a great group of Chapman alumni followed by a week of Amy in DC!

I got the picture of the dress that I will be wearing for wedding number 2 in July (the colors will be berry and champagne for the ribbon). I am so excited and honored to be part of Casey's wedding. I know that I am going to have so much fun through the whole process!

I have am so excited and absolutely terrified to make these decisions but so grateful to have the opportunities to make these decisions!!!!

Snowmagedden to Snowverkill

I have not written in nearly two months.  I have been trapped in my house since Sunday night.  There are at least 2 feet of snow on the ground. Saturday I went out side to enjoy the snow! Now, if someone told me there were two feet snow I wouldn't know what that means. So let me up that in perspective for you:

1. It passed my knees when I stood in my backyard.
2. A child around the age of 3 would be buried alive if she sat outside without moving while the snow fell.
3. Your couch is probably about two feet off the ground. 
4. The seat of a bench..your average picnic bench...can you see it in your head? Well the snow is level with the seat of the bench. 

The snow was too light so I was unable to make a snowman so I reverted back to my San Diego roots and dug a whole as I would have done on the beach! Unfortunately, a hole in the snow is not as much fun as a hole in sand. =(

I believe that I work at the one restaurant that was open all weekend. Public transit has basically shut down over the course of the last 7 days.   I didn't go into the office Monday through Wednesday.  As predicted, the snow began again on Tuesday night. This resulted in blizzard conditions on Wednesday.  For my friends in California, who still think that winter consists of 40 degree mornings and a little bit of rain, let me tell you what a blizzard is. It means that the snow comes down quickly.  It means that you might not be able to see a foot in front of you.  It means you don't, under ANY circumstances, leave your house.  No matter how long you have been sitting inside.  You think you are out of food...nope, that can of soup you thought you would never eat and the random vegetables in the back of the fridge suddenly make the most delicious dinner you have ever eaten!

Many may be saying to themselves, "Michelle is so dramatic. People deal with blizzards all the the time. It can't be that bad."

You are half right. Yes, people live in cold climates all the time and I am being dramatic. On the other hand, there are millions who are being duped into thinking that winter lasts for four or five months. There are people who think that there should be snow on the ground from November to March.  What they haven't realized yet is that it doesn't have to be that way.  Some people, like myself, define winter as 45 degree mornings and a little bit of rain.  That is what winter should be!

Not to worry everyone! It takes about 2 feet of snow to shut down our nation's capital.  This is going to many more days to recover from. The public transportation that many depend on throughout Virgina and Maryland cannot get into the city.  The House has been closed for the week because Reagan National is still closed.  There are few sidewalks and where they are they usually consist of about 4-5 inches of tightly packed snow to walk on. Nonetheless, DC will recover (in a couple of weeks), the snow piles are taller than most cars, and will be here for many weeks to come.

So let me tell you the lessons I have learned since last week:

1. The grocery story before a storm is a place to avoid. It looks like the world is going to end and the milk and bread is gone quickly.  It will take about an hours to get through the line.
2. Patience is necessary. Everything takes longer. It takes longer to walk places. It takes longer to get food or get a train. 
3. People are friendlier.  Saturday was a ridiculous day, but people realized they just needed to go with it. There is nothing we can do and because of that people waiting in the hour long line at the grocery store or for a train can't help but laugh at the situation. (Note: This is definitely not true for everyone, but most).
4. Snow days exist. I have never had a snow day before, now I am on number 3. I am ready to go back to work but snow days can be enjoyable. 
5. Not all snow is created equal. There is snow that is good for snowman and some that is good for snowboarding.  Snow can also change into snow that is good to build a snowman. I am still determined to make myself a snowman. It is going to happen. 
6.  The recovery is the worst part. After trekking to work and back today with groceries, the lack of sidewalk was not pleasant. You have to take a risk if you want to walk on the sidewalk because at any point there may be an un-shoveled portion, but the street is also a risk of a mean driver splashing water all over you. Public transportation is still limited and SLOW!
7. The Names of the situation are phenomenal. Here are the ones that I have heard
1. Snowmageden
2. Snotorious B.I.G.
3. Sno-pocalypse 
4. Snoverkill (this was the name for the second storm and my personal favorite)

I signed up for a mild DC winter.  A little rain, some cold weather, and a few inches of snow throughout the winter. Instead, I have had record lows and about 55 inches of snow throughout the winter.  Fear not, I am resilient.  I am coping with it. I dislike the groundhog that told me 6 more weeks of winter but I know I will have many more winters over my lifetime to deal with and this one is preparing me for the worst.  Spring better be worth it! Although, DC has had to cut (pun intended) into its grass cutting budget to pay for the snow removal, so it may not be the perfect Spring I have in my head. 

Here are a few more pictures! Enjoy =) 

The piles of snow are indeed taller than that truck...