Thoughts on arts, life, and current events

Thanks to technological improvements when the weather man predicts a snow storm we all take it seriously.  I recall as a child a forecast of snow would justify sneaking to the tv (we only had one!) and turning it on with the volume very low and staying up all night watching any old movies I could find.  I was certain (or at least I hoped) there would be no school.  That is how I came to watch Love Story at 7 years old and decide right then that college in New England was my destiny - I mean there were Ali McGraw and Ryan O’Neil making angels in the snow!  What more could one possibly want from a college experience?  Years later at a fundraiser at the Four Seasons for People Animals Love honoring the rescue dogs from 9-11 and their handlers I told Ali McGraw this story assuming others had followed her to college for such a reason and she said no.  No one had ever shared such a story with her.  I thought there might have been other little girls in feetsy pjs watching the snow fall outside who thought four years of snow would be fun!

Now years later snow is a different matter.  For all its lingering romance I prepared with working flash lights, a short wave crank battery operated radio, icy melt, led auto lights (which were disappointing as they don’t illuminate that much), a camping lantern, extra shovels, easy food, a cooler usually used in summer at Wolf Trap which would now serve to keep foods cold outside and knowing how to shut off the water main.

DC has never looked prettier.  The sculpture gardens at the Hirshhorn and the National Galley of Art blanketed in snow and the magnificent silence of a quiet city were my most favorite images.  As the snow fell the white made the monuments totally invisible.  The next day in the sun and snow they reappeared as inspiring as ever.

A four wheel drive enabled us to help friends and family.  Getting stuck on a snow drift the wench let us pull ourselves out from the snow bank we landed in trying to avoid a stuck limo bus driver.  The Georgetown students flooded the streets after the Hoya victory with no sense of the danger of vehicles unable to stop.  The GWU students took over 23rd St. for a snow ball fight.  For yesterdays Caps game (their 14th win!) against the Penguins there was a convoy of suburban SUVs (lacking snow on roofs or dirty cars - these had come out of the warm garages to venture downtown for the hockey match up!) with people inside all in red.

Businesses were closed.  Drivers stayed off the roads.  Forty  eight hours later we are evaluating the damage - trees down, trees missing limbs, roads impassable, but all in all feeling like a kid again.  I remember when DC got snow storms.  Dad would take us sledding in Rock Creek Park or at Battery Kimble before it became a huge pet dumping station.  There was a toboggan run on Democracy Boulevard which was just the best pre lawyers damages and insurance claims!  Then there were the day trips to Blue Knob and Liberty.

My dad would have friends show up and plow out the driveway.  I don’t know if he exchanged Redskins tix for the favor.  I would put on ski clothes and walk taking photos in the snows with the Nikon which I got as a 16th birthday present.  I have always loved snow.  Paul Caponigro and Ansel Adams achieved the look I hoped to achieve as if it was just about having the right conditions!

Years later when living in Georgetown with my fab roomie Lenka my friends and I weathered a great storm at Clyde’s and Martin’s Tavern walking thru the streets.  Lenka and her friends cross country and down hill skiied from bar to bar.

This snow fall fell on a Superbowl weekend which made it impossible to get to some of the parties but none the less it was a great game!  Laissez les bons temps roulez!  Now to prepare for Tuesdays snow!  BE SAFE! and Warm!

Powered by Bookmarkify™