God is smarter than the school board.

Dearest Readers,

It's been snowing since shortly after dark on Friday night, here in north-central West Virginia. This morning, around 8AM, the deck sports at least 10 inches of non-blowing slightly wet frozen precipitation. We were warned, but I didn't brave the crowds at Kroger's last night on my way home from school.

Never fear, we have a tenderloin just waiting to be fixed; pepperoni and frozen bread; lots of sliced bread for grilled cheese and soup; fresh golden cauliflower; miscellaneous cans of beans, fruit, and packages of cornbread mix; and eggs - glorious eggs (and potatoes).

I'll have to search to find the chocolate for drinking, but the coffee will hold out until Christmas...

This puts the end to my plans for Christmas shopping. But I am constantly reassured that "it doesn't matter" - it only matters to the children who can't figure out how to play with money... and to adults who say money doesn't take the place of thoughtfulness.

The weather does make me wonder if I will see any family for Christmas besides Daddy. The last time we had 24 inches of snow we were home for a week (I lived at Park Blvd and Daddy was in California. I dug the car out of the snow with a cooking pot, because I didn't have a snow shovel at the time. This must have been in March or April or perhaps December of 2004 - I remember everyone was isolated in their far-distant homes -- Grandma and Grandpa too.)

If the roads are still snowcoverd and icy, we will have no school [fingers crossed] on the Monday and Tuesday that KIDS have to report in most counties around here. The school boards should have foreseen that no one wanted to be in classes the days before the holiday! The roads may be clear for us teachers to go to work on Wednesday - do you think?! I think this is a no brainer! All those little kids praying for no school and snow for Christmas... powerful. And smarter than the school boards!

Windy called to see if she could get here today, if our road was plowed. I have seen trucks go down the road, no plows. Our driveway is impassible. I did not sweep nor did I shovel. Now it's too late. Charleston WV has 11 inches according to the weather channel. And it's still snowing here. On the good side, it's not too cold - only about 28 degrees. And we have electricity - or I would go bonkers with no tv, no computer solitaire, no Christmas caroles on the radio.

So - God is on our side. This is the Christmas Present I can really use. And it doesn't cost money: Rest and Peace.

Merry Christmas to you all. And hugs all around.