SNOW!
I know this isn’t a big deal for most of you out there, but for those of us in South Louisiana, snow is a really big deal! It hasn’t snowed here since January 3, 2001. The above picture is our back yard.
The above picture is the front of our house. I know, the siding needs washing with bleach. It’s molded. The sun doesn’t shine there for most of the day because the house faces east and the sun revolves around the back side of the house.
This is our street. I’m really surprised snow stuck to the pavement. It usually doesn’t do that here.
This is a Hurricane Gustav debris pile covered with snow. I don’t envy those who have tarps over their roofs. The snow is wet and if the holes are big, the tarps probably fell through them if they weren’t secured. I’ll have to go out later and see how the damaged houses around ours are doing.
We woke up this morning to about 3 inches of the puffy, white stuff coating everything. It’s melting now. Snow never lasts long here. Unfortunately, it’s supposed to get really cold tonight so all that melting snow will turn into ice by morning.
Nobody knows how to drive on snow and ice down here, so that makes life exciting and dangerous.
It also means the libraries where I tutor are closed today and the coffee shops I use as back-up locations are also closing at 1 p.m. I had to move all my students that had appointments today to tomorrow and Saturday. It’s great to have snow, but mid-term exams are next week, and my students need their tutoring sessions on time as much as possible.
Since I was able to reschedule everyone, I won’t lose any hours of work. I also picked up one more private student for mid-term chemistry tutoring. That will likely yield me at least 2 extra hours of work at $25/hr. 
What GREAT pictures! I lived in the desert for 30 years, so I can appreciate the delight you must have had in this snowfall of snowfalls. G.
Comment by Grace Kleppin | December 12, 2008
We cannot complain here in Michigan after seeing your pictures! Happy New Year!
Comment by JW Thornhill | December 31, 2008
Grace, thanks for commenting! At times like this, I do miss having snow regularly.
JW, I think y’all in Michigan do have a right and responsibility to complain. Our infrastructure is at great risk every time there is heavy wind, rain, snow or ice. It’s y’all this week. A couple of weeks ago it was most of the Northeast and they were without power for several days in multiple states. Even Oahu (the entire island) lost power for 11 hours after a big thunderstorm the weekend before Christmas.
I love it when we have snow. I really do because we have it so seldom. But our electrical grid is deteriorating and weather (hurricanes, thunderstorms, snow storms, ice storms and tornadoes) is our biggest national security risk right now.
Comment by joubess | January 1, 2009
We lost power for three days! It was a mess. (:
Comment by JW Thornhill | January 5, 2009