VIP Day

I was looking forward to today. We have two grandchildren in the middle school at Liggett and each of us received an invitation to be a grandson's VIP guest this morning. Slight drawback—although we were going to get breakfast, we had to be at the school by 7:45 a.m. But we have done it before: we can do it. Who cares about those people in Boston, destined to be covered in two feet of snow? Well, I did, sort of, sending an e-mail to my dear niece Shannon before I went to bed.

The alarm went off at 6:30 this morning and I jumped out of bed and put on some coffee. Even if you are going to get breakfast, it is a tradition in this household to spill coffee all over ourselves and the car if we are leaving early. However, even the briefest look outside showed that we too had got some snow overnight. I had put my clothes out (just like a kindergardener), managed by some miracle to find my co-shoveller's big boots, gulped some coffee and cleared off the front porch and pathway. We don't worry about the driveway in this house—there is a mantra involving the words, "I was brought up in Iowa. I can drive a car in snow. "

We were just about ready to leave when the phone rang and my son-in law told me that school was cancelled. (I suppose I could have gone on-line and checked, but it never occurred to me. I come from a different generation.) I have books, there is food in the house and I can enjoy the snow through the waiting window. And remember here? Here it is this morning.

On second thoughts, I will go back to bed.