Pocket and the Snow Storm

When I awoke Saturday morning the skies were gunmetal gray, the air froze my paws, and I could smell snow.  Lots of snow.

I begged my parents to stay home, mostly by pleading looks, but it was errand day, and mom and dad are hearty New Englanders, who do not let a little thing like a blizzard keep them from the Dollar Store.  Darn fools.

I was put in my kitty condo, then in my crate.  River, my overly indulged sister, is allowed to wreck havoc on our small house in my parent’s absence and is provided a kitchen chair by the window so she can watch outside.  I am sure by year’s end she will persuade my parents to upgrade to a club chair while she watches and frets.

As soon as they left, River started her constant updates mostly consisting of these words:  “They aren’t home, and it’s still snowing.  It’s definitely snowing.  Snowing very hard.  Too hard to be outside.  Definitely too hard to be outside.”  This continued until they arrived home three hours later, shaky, wet, cold, but safe

That night our parents put pee pads on the porch, so we didn’t have to go outside as the snow continued to fall.  Daddy got up early in the morning.  He scooped me up and took me to the porch for a pee then put me in bed and went back out to shovel.  I hopped off the bed trying to go with him, but Mommy picked me up and brought me back to bed.  I like routine and Daddy leaving us in bed is not routine.

Two hours later he came back in the house and took River and me outside.  He had shoveled pathways for us to do our business.  There was so much snow.  I bravely did my business and headed back inside.  River, an original Floridian, mostly whined and stood still until she was persuaded to pee, and then she hurried back inside.

When my parents rank their doggies by snow bravery, I am second.  Foley is first  She would plow through the snow in joy, and she would delicately walk on top of the frozen crest until she reached a weak spot and disappeared in a minor avalanche.  She was quickly pulled to safety, covered in snow, and proud of her courage.  Blake, my parent's first dog, and their largest, a Shih Tzu, would take a dozen steps in the snow and then stop, helplessly raise a paw in the air, and beg to be picked up.  River is just a snow wimp.

In all 13 inches fell.  I know that is not the amount that Enzo or R and Shyla got in Colorado, but those pups are all two feet tall.  I am four inches tall.  For them to be dominated by the snow the way I was they would need to get seven feet of snow.  Snow is different everywhere and to everyone.  To me, it is big, wet, and obtrusive.

I hope your snow is kinder and smaller to you.  I am going back on the Internet and looking at flowers and seeds.  Spring will soon be here, and I will be ready.