Monday, December 15, 2008

No Snow for Shae

Well, it was supposed to snow last night, a one inch blanket to cover the entire Las Vegas valley. But when I woke (at six a.m. to see the snow because it was supposed to start snowing at 4 a.m.) there was nothing. Squat. Nada. Bupkiss. (Pause for long dramatic sigh.) So once again my dreams for snow are dashed.

I've never had a white Christmas. Or anything other that a pretty sunny Christmas, usually with highs near the 60's. It's sad. I hope, I pray, I wish, but it never happens. So when they predicted this storm I let myself get a little excited. Only to be disappointed.



Yes, Virginia, it does actually snow in Las Vegas. Sometimes a lot, although most of the time it's gone in a matter of hours. But it does happen, once every few years.


I love the show. I know, that's because I have never had to live in it. My mom says if I lived somewhere it snowed and didn't melt away quickly that I'd hate it because is isn't so pretty when It's been around a while. And I hat the thought of digging my car out of the snow. But I love snow anyway. It reminds me of wonderful things, like my dad waking me in the middle of the night because it was snowing and he wanted me to see it. Like going to Mt. Charleston, loaded with hot chocolate, so my brother and I could play in the snow and making snow ice cream, which I thought was the most delicious ice cream I had ever eaten. My mom, making my brother and I walk to the McDonald's during a snowstorm so that we could get hot chocolate and watch the snow (my mom LOVES to watch the snow, she hates being in the snow.) Making tiny little snowmen (because there wasn't enough snow to make a big one and it melts too fast anyway.) I love those memories because they remind me of love and family. Snow makes me happy.



There have even been some big snowstorms (at least by my standards). January 4-5, 1974 it snowed 9 inches. My dad used to tell me that the snow was as big as my head (I don't remember as I was a toddler at the time but it sounds like an enormous amount of snow. I do remember the storm of 1979, as it was the only snow day in CCSD history. No school and we got to play in the snow. I was in second grade and it was a momentous day. It was like a blizzard and the city practically shut down. (No wonder, we just aren't equipped to handle snow.) It snowed more than seven inches over three days and I thought it was a miracle.

There has been snow a few times in the past years but nothing like what I want. I would love a ton of snow. It wold make everyone have to stop and breathe a moment, which is something we sorely need during this tough economy and hectic holiday frenzy. To stop and look at the miracle of nature, rare and fleeting.


I wish we had snow. I wish for a white Christmas, just once in my life. The pictures are from Sundance, Utah, the only place I get to see snow regularly. Isn't it lovely?





Still, I suppose it could be worse. Here is what Christmas is like in Hermosa Beach where my Uncle Stuart lives. (That's Roberta with the surfing Santa.)




UPDATE: Okay, it's technically snowing. But is isn't sticking. So it doesn't count.

2 comments:

Maura said...

Please excuse the jaded New Englander while she has a bit of a laugh. I was fine until I read the part about snowing seven inches over three days....we have storms that dump seven inches in three hours!!

Yet, in spite of all of our big snowstorms, it is generally hit or miss on whether or not we get an actual white Christmas. You can't really bank on good snowstorms until January. But I do remember about three or four years ago, Larry and I were driving through a pretty hefty snowstorm to get to my brother's house for Xmas.

I will be keeping my fingers crossed for you that you get some snow. It really is very pretty when it first falls and it definitely adds something to the season. I can't imaging celebrating the holidays in someplace like Florida or Hawaii. I'm sure they are all used to it being so warm and sunny at Xmas, but it just wouldn't be the same for me. Even if there isn't any snow, it needs to be cold enough so that you can really appreciate a hot chocolate!

Shae said...

I understand how measly my seven inches may sound Maura, but to a desert rat like me it was MONUMENTAL. I envy you.....

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