Snow Day #1: FIVE Inches of Snow and Ice!

On Saturday there were mad reports of the impending "winter storm", hence people headed to the grocery store, including me. You can only imagine how long the grocery store lines were; the bread and milk was sold out and people had their grocery carts full of pop tarts, coke, and microwavable dinners.

Campus officials wasted no time to close campus for the following day. We received an email that campus was closed tomorrow even before the snow started to fall. You see, there are benefits to living in a traditionally WARM region of the U.S., there are NO snow plows or snow removal equipment. Thus, when a big storm threatens the region, everything shuts down...even before the snow hits the earth. And, you receive the following messages in your email in-box:

Received 1/09/11 at 7:44 p.m. (before any snow had fallen)

The University of Georgia will be closed on Monday, January 10, 2011. Classes will not be held and offices will be closed. Personnel previously designated for weather emergencies will report.

Received 1/10/11 at 12:40 p.m. (after 5 inches had fallen and iced over)
The University of Georgia main campus at Athens will be closed because of inclement weather on Tuesday, January 11, 2011.

Received 1/11/11 at 11:o4 a.m. (ice, ice, baby)
The University of Georgia main campus at Athens will be closed on Wednesday, January 12. Classes will not be held and offices will be closed.

Received 1/12/11 at 1:50 p.m. (more slip, sliding away...)
The University of Georgia will have a delayed opening on Thursday, Jan. 13, 2011 at 11 a.m.

Being from Colorado, this is all very strange for me, but I am not complaining. Five inches of snow turned into, not one, not two, but THREE snow days (they should have called them "ice" days) with no school or work. Okay, so I am not really taking classes this semester (because I am done with that part of the PhD adventure, remember?), but I am sitting in on a few classes (yes, I am officially a nerd). Plus, I have to work. Thus, three days off: blissful, especially when I can sit in my apartment and watch the students have tons of fun with the snow on Meyers quad (right outside my front door). The first night a massive snowball fight ensued with about 70 students, then the second day a large fort and snowman was built, and the third day resulted in a tackle "ice" football game and some red ice (ouch).

This winter adventure, despite the meager amounts of snow, was rather fun. We cooked excellent meals (and Charlie baked cookies...see photo), drank lots of wine, played cards, and even attended a few campus events (that had not been canceled)...see next post.