Snow Day

Let me tell you about the day I had on Wednesday.

We'll start with this photo from last Monday. 

This is a typical military marker found at cemeteries across America.

When not covered by snow, it looks like the markers in rows just to the right in the sidebar.

We've had enough snow this year.

I started my day off at 4am.

The winter storm started right about then.

Since I had to be to work by 8 and I always allow an hour to arrive, 

I thought I would double that time, just in case.

After two hours of driving in blinding snow, I arrived right on schedule without a minute to spare.

With a two hour visitation before the service, I had to be out in the parking lot the entire time to line up cars for the procession and direct people that just wanted to visit.

Dodging the snow plow truck and shoveling myself, the two hours finally passed.

That is when I was informed that the procession had been canceled due to weather.

I still drove the casket and body to the cemetery for burial.

(What a mess that was!)

Then it was time to head for home.

I got on the expressway and immediately found that I could not see where I was going through the drifting snow. Since my commute takes me through open countryside, I decided to turn around and head back to work. I remained there for the rest of the day until I felt it was safe to drive home.

Even then, it was difficult at times.

There were accidents and spin-outs to the right and left.

At one point there was a semi-truck cross-ways of the road forcing everyone to exit from the expressway. 

When I got home, the storm had passed, but the winds remained.

I had just started to warm up when my neighbor called me and asked me to meet him in my back yard.

The sun was low in the sky and casting shadows on the drifted snow.

Such beauty had been dropped in my own back yard.

I would have stayed for longer if the wind hadn't been chilling me to the bone.

I ended my day with a little yoga in my nice warm home.

Reflecting on a day that made me glad to be alive to witness such force and

 such beauty.