S.N.O.W.

Here's the deal.

Currently I am sitting on my couch, not ashamed to say that I'm drenched in sweat, and completely exhilarated.

Last night, I experienced the wonder that is a thunder-snow. Maybe you heard about the blizzard that rolled through Peoria, during which I was startled by a flash of light out my window. It was followed by the slow rumble of thunder. Little unnerving at first, but then it was pretty exciting.

Amidst that interesting storm, about 24 inches of snow descended on Peoria. Most of it landed on my car. I used to carry a shovel in the back of my car, but took it out over the summer. It's now at my brother's house, and Iowa is pretty far from Peoria.

As I sat on my couch earlier today I contemplated several options for digging my car out. The first was a frying pan. Pretty shovel-like except for the handle being a bit short in the reach. I thought of dragging my bike outside and using the back tire to scrape the snow away from my car. Not so practical. I looked around my place to discover something that might work. I looked for a long second at my vacuum and decided definitely against that.

I turned my head and spotted my 'side table.' My current side table is a plastic bin with the shut lid. I have about a dozen empty bins just like it in my closet. After another minute I decided that I should try to attack the snow around my car with an empty plastic bin.

I bundled up and headed out into the snow.

• My car is in the middle
• The car to the left wasn't there when I started
• Not too far into my project that car pulled in. Its driver was very nice and offered to push me out. Not a good idea to roll over two feet of snow without clearing it out though. Plus I had nowhere to be and I thoroughly enjoy playing in the snow.
• I saw four people with similar reactions to my make-shift shoveling.
• I created a giant snow hill, to the left, call it "Fred"
• There's a smaller one to the right as well.
• This adventure brought me back to snow-days growing up. Playing in the snow with my brothers and the dog until we were called inside and loving every minute of it.

Anyway, I had a GREAT time out there shoveling my car out. I love playing in the snow.

So mothers, teach your kids to play in the snow! It makes these situations a game when they grow up.

That's right, I totally dug that wheel out.