White Stuff

The last week has seen a shift to colder than normal temperatures, contrasting sharply with what has been an exceptionally mild winter. The weather forecasts have even gone so far as to predict snow on several occasions. However, last night when we checked for the final time it mentioned only light rain. So it was an unexpected treat when I awoke this morning for my 6 AM, 5K walk around the city walls to discover snow! Apparently it was just cold enough above us for the light rain which had been falling to transition to a coating of heavy, wet snow.

I was simultaneously cheerful, yet sad as I made my way through the flakes in the pre-dawn darkness. Cheerful since I must admit to enjoying a little snow and the cycle of the seasons. Sad because it reminded me of the tradition I carried on for 15 years of either a run or a walk through the first snow with my Siberian Husky, Joule. Snow is transformative. It mutes the sounds and takes the edge off the hard, dark stone which defines the historic center of Viterbo. Below is a picture of the garden area behind our house, shrouded in a 1" deep layer of snow.

The other side of snow is whether or not there will be school. Conditions weren't really awful, so the decision was made to have school. However, by the time classes were to start it became evident that it just wasn't happening and the dozen or so students who made it in were sent home midway through first period.  In central and southern Italy there are no provisions for dealing with snow. They don't plow, salt or sand. When it snows it is just expected that things will grind to a halt. It is a bit annoying, to say the least, since as I write it is well above freezing, there is rain falling, the snow has become slush and it will all be gone before noon. Oh yes, the Mayor of Viterbo has already canceled school not just for today but for tomorrow as well! I fully expect that we will have school tomorrow even if the city doesn't. Finally, unlike school in the US, our school has a finite end date which can't be moved so we will not be making up any days we miss!