Snow days!

Well, not real snow days. I'm learning that most adults (unless they're teachers) don't get a day off from work, even when 8 inches of snow are forecast to fall. So this is what it is to be a grown up.

What if the county is in a snow emergency, you ask? Well, even if Butler County is on a level three snow emergency, we are expected to report because we are an "emergency service." That's right, emergency services aren't just limited to fire and police. Emergency food also falls under this category.

It's not that bad this morning, and even so, Alex and I would be here anyway. At top right is a view from our office; Dixie Highway is just past the little barns in the background.

While it's easy to get excited about the fluffy white stuff, I recognize why not everyone shares in the joy of a good ol' winter storm. If you don't have reliable transportation on a normal, sunny day, imagine the headache a few inches of snow can cause in trying to make it into work. Can your old car handle the snow and ice? Is your ride willing to venture out just so you can make $7.35 an hour? Or do you normally walk/bike to work? That's pretty much impossible on days like this, and yet, I have a feeling your boss won't be too understanding of your predicament.

Or what if driving is the way you make your living? I'm thinking of all you truck drivers/EMTs/paramedics/firefighters/police officers/bus drivers/mail delivery people/etc. out there. Your job doesn't stop because of inclement weather. And even though it is inconvenient, not to mention dangerous at times, to do your job, the show must go on. After all, your bills won't pay themselves.

(Be careful, Daddy and Taylor! I'm thinking about you on days like this.)

Or what if you have young children? When school's canceled you're stuck looking for child care, which tends to cost more than a day at school. And what if you can't find or can't afford child care? Do you take a day off work? Would that day off be unpaid?

And what if your cupboards are bare and you're trying to get a bag of groceries from your local food pantry? You manage to drive over or get a ride there just to find that the church where the pantry is housed decided to close early today. You will have to find another pantry or wait until tomorrow.

Don't get me wrong--weather doesn't just burden people in poverty. Weather doesn't discriminate based on class. But you can see how a person living day to day, paycheck to paycheck, might be a little more affected by a significant snowfall. It's something to think about anyway.

Happy shoveling.