Raging Dad

Portland rarely gets cold enough to get snow of any notable amount. When it does happen, the entire region falls to its knees. Schools shut down, the public transit system is overwhelmed and people don’t leave their houses for days. Over the last two weeks of December we received about 18 inches of snow—more than has been seen in Portland for more than 40 years.

Most of the schools in the area were closed for an entire week. The only time I recall schools shutting down when I was a kid was when someone figured out how to get into the bus yards and unplug the buses overnight. And that only worked for a few times before they installed barbed wire. I recall the governor ordering schools closed a time or two, when temperatures were below -60 degrees—without windchill!

Of course, 18 inches is a pretty typical month in Minnesota, where we spent the first thirty years of our lives. Even though this is our third winter here in the Pacific Northwest, it still amazes me to see how a relatively small amount of severe weather can cause such serious disruption. This video from January 2007 proves that drivers have no idea how to drive in icy conditions.

The upside is that our kids were able to get some good raging playtime in the snow, something they certainly miss from the motherland.

Michael, working on a snow man.

Connie, full of attitude.

And as always, Sonny showed his the extremities of his emotions. He was having a dandy ol’ time, until some snow penetrated his raging boot and snow pants, proving that snow is in fact cold and wet.

So, they had fun. Though I suspect that they are done with the snow until next year! I know that I am…

Song of the day: “Snow,” by Mark Sandman.

Note: If you don’t know Mark Sandman‘s work with the excellent band Morphine, I highly recommend checking him out. Tragically, Sandman died of a hear attack at the age of 47 while performing on stage in Rome in 1999.

Filed under: raging thoughts | Tagged: drivers, fun, ice, kids, portland, snow, winter