March 2nd, 2009 by john 
in Categories: 
It’s 5:00 AM, I’m in a deep sleep and having an awesome dream. Much to my discontent the phone rings. I jump up, eyes wide shut, clamoring to see the clock. “Who could be calling at this hour?”, I thought. “Has someone been hurt? Stranded. Disabled?” These thoughts pass as I hear the answering machine pick up. “This is the Virginia Beach Public School System. All students are to report 2 hours late today due to the inclement weather”, says the computerized messenger. “Great”, I thought as I slammed my head against my pillow. Traffic on the way to work will be a real joy. The last time we received one of these calls, it never even snowed. School closed for the day and the kids got a freebie.
Curiosity got the best of me and so I decided to check out the “snow storm”. Maybe we really got nailed this time. Six inches or even a foot! As usual, however, I was disappointed. It would be pushing it to say there was a 1/2 inch on the ground. I flipped on the TV to the local news. There was this reporter standing on some street corner, trying to scrape together enough snow to prove we had been blanketed with the white stuff. “Poor guy”, I thought, as I turned him off. Knowing how everyone reacts to snow, I decided to get an early start for what I knew would be a miserable commute.
On my ride into the office, I passed no less than six accidents involving three or more vehicles. My usual 20 minute drive turned into an hour and a half. Many accidents, very little, if any, snow. Listening to the radio, I hear they are calling for a drop in temperature, more “snow” and freezing roads over night. Great, the entire city may shut down tomorrow. It will be like I am Legend, only different. That’s how we do snow storms, beach style.
Related Posts:
My name is John.
{ 18 comments… read them below or add one }
Haha that’s pretty good John. A 1/2 inch in Iowa is a slight nuisance for the commute, and a teaser for the kids that still have to go to school.
Glad to see a new post! It’s been awhile.
Blakes last blog post..Should Parents Pay for College?
Reply
John reply on March 5th, 2009 8:04 am:
It’s funny, our area shuts down at the thought of snow. Just once, I would like to experience a huge snow storm!
Reply
Ugh – I’m right with you. I’m in Portsmouth (Olde Towne) and I work in downtown Norfolk. It usually takes me 15 minutes, tops, to get to work. This morning – an HOUR. Everyone was creeping through the downtown tunnel and across the Berkley Bridge. These are the kinds of mornings when driving a 5 speed sucks!
Sadies last blog post..Diet Pill Study #2 – Ephedra
Reply
John reply on March 5th, 2009 8:01 am:
Wow, another neighbor! Small world! You can determine what kind of commute you’re going to have by watching the weather channel!
Reply
Hi neighbor – I’m in Norfolk and we also had a 2 hour delay because of the blizzrd we had this morning. I just kept the kids home. People around here drive even worse than usual – they see a snowflake and totally freak out.
sheilasultanis last blog post..SEO Link Building Works!
Reply
John reply on March 5th, 2009 7:58 am:
Howdy neighbor! Yes, people seem to forget how to drive with just the mention of snow. The way the local news portrays it, you would think we got 10 feet of snow!
Reply
The commute during a snow storm is always impossible. On the other hand that is a great photo! Calming.
Rons last blog post..The Passing of Time
Reply
John reply on March 5th, 2009 8:07 am:
Well, it wasn’t exactly a “snow storm”…. but you’re right! Glad you liked the pic.
Reply
I really like your story-telling writing style.
—
I use to live in Virginia, and I remember what they considered “snow days”, but after living in Massachusetts, that’s NOTHING! 1/2 inch of snow? The kids wouldn’t attend school all winter in New England if that was the case! LOL
Seems to me that the news media was perpetuating the problem as well.
However, I will say that accidents happen much more during the first snowfall, no matter where you are. The roads are slicker and more dangerous when the snow first begins to fall, which might account for all the accidents you saw.
Jennifer @ Money Saver 101s last blog post..Saving Money isn’t everything!
Reply
John reply on March 5th, 2009 7:55 am:
Thank you, thank you! Yes, the media really plays up it here! Normally if they call for snow, it never happens. Our biggest “snow storms” have been unexpected.
Reply
is it terrible of me to admit i use to love these days-especially when the schools shut down. maybe i miss them even more and have romanticized them since i’ve been living in AZ for the last 10 years. ahh well, good luck with the storms…
ssgreylords last blog post..lil’ green-eyed monster
Reply
John reply on March 5th, 2009 7:50 am:
I hear you ssgreylord, we rarely ever got out of school here in Virginia. I remember getting up early to watch the news and see if school had been canceled. It was a real treat if it actually snowed and school was shut down!
Reply
I live in ND and wow, they never shut down the schools here. We have had the worst winter in “years”. It was actually a blizzard outside and they didn’t close the schools back in Nov.(Which we still have snow from, hasn’t all melted yet.) We have had 2 snow days this year and so that takes care of the kids “spring break”. I am from Colorado and am ready to head back. It is crazy here! LOL
Rhondas last blog post..Increase Spiders Views using Entrecard
Reply
John reply on March 5th, 2009 7:47 am:
Hey Rhonda, you know you’re in trouble when you want to head back to Colorado to get away from the snow!
Reply
I wish we could only have a 1/2 inch! We just got about 5 inches ourselves here in Kansas.
Reply
John reply on March 5th, 2009 7:46 am:
I wish we could get 5 inches, just once, Heidi!
Reply
…and that is why I live in California.
peace,
mike
livelife365
Social Networking Blues
Mike Fosters last blog post..Social Networking Blues
Reply
John reply on March 5th, 2009 7:45 am:
Hmmm, trade a ½ inch of snow every five years for fires, mud slides and earth quakes? I don’t know….jk Mike
Reply
I guess the grass is always greener as they say. I’d take your kind of snow storm. We got dumped with a foot of snow on the last storm here.
Reply
Not the picture that comes to mind when I hear the word “beech.” I believe this is the first I’ve ever seen a picture of a beach with snow!
Karen, author of “My Funny Dad, Harry”s last blog post..Harry’s Most Fun Project–The AWANA Grand Prix
Reply
My mother lives in eastern North Carolina and said schools were closed there as well due to that snow storm.
Here in central Arkansas, we saw flurries, but that is about it.
Paul
Eat Well. Live Well.
PurpleGreenPops.com
PaulsHealthBlog.coms last blog post..Are Vitamin Pills A False Hope?
Reply
Remember when snow use to be great! The older you get the more it becomes a nuisance.
Rick Vaughns last blog post..How Expensive is Bad Health?
Reply
Isn’t it hilarious ~ this weather in Virginia??!! We are in Williamsburg and had the snow etc. last Monday and 6 days later – playing golf in beautiful weather! Yesterday it’s 80 and right now it’s only 47??!!
Nancys last blog post..Did you know? ~ MARCH is Women’s History Month!
Reply
Reminds me of how grocery stores would be swamped with people trying to buy milk, eggs and bread anytime someone on the news mentioned the s word. Maybe the news and the grocery stores were in cahoots.
Nick | Mom Most Traveleds last blog post..You Can Make This (and this, too)!
Reply
It doesn’t seem to matter where you are in the world, if you’re not used to living with snow for half the year, the slightest hint of it brings everything to a standstill. Peoples’ driving skills seem to go straight out the window.
Strangely exactly the same thing happens when it’s foggy, windy, heavy rain or even extremem heat and bright sunlight. Maybe most humans aren’t cut out to be behind the wheel of a car.
Schools likely won’t ever get it right – bring the kids in before the weather kicks in and they might not get home; let them out into an icy yard and they may slip and hurt themselves. And even if this is their own fault, or they get wet through from messing in the snow, some parents will still blame the school rather than assume it could be their kids who lack sense.
That’s life…
Dayflyers last blog post..Teach Your Kids How to Budget
Reply
This is a good post!
Thanks for sharing the information
It is very useful!
SweetJourneys last blog post..International Trader
Reply
That’s a great snow photo, love the color in the sky! Here in LA this winter we had a storm drop several inches in the Santa Monica mountains – yes the same ones that overlook Malibu and catch on fire every few years. It is EXTREMELY rare for it to snow to such a low elevation. Being a photographer I wanted to get up there and get some photos, but alas it all melted before I could find the time…so thanks for sharing yours.
Reply