Snowing Sideways and Liberal Leaves

Okay, so we finally have our first big snow day for the year. Strange that it is on March 2nd, but we will take what we can get.

Yesterday afternoon, as I was curled up on the couch watching Gods and Generals, I was hoping that I would look out the window to see the snow start around 2PM, as promised by the weathermen. Nope. 2:00, 3:00...6:00 PM - nothing but sprinkles. I was worse than a kid waiting for my school to close.

So, I decided to get my mind off it and went to the gym. I guess my run around the track could be considered the snow dance. I even thought of finding an old Christmas tune - Let It Snow. Silly, I know. By the time I left the gym, we had flakes. Not big flakes, but flakes all the same. So, I made some dinner, curled up with my new Kindle 2.0 and eventually dozed off. I woke up around 4:30 AM hoping to find the city blanketed with snow. No such luck. DC got about 4 inches. I huffed and puffed and got dressed to head into work. Of course I checked my OPM alerts first:

Federal agencies in the Washington, DC, area are OPEN under a DELAYED ARRIVAL/UNSCHEDULED LEAVE policy. Employees should plan to arrive for work no more than 2 hours later than they would normally arrive, and employees who cannot report for work may take unscheduled leave.

Yep, that means business as usual. As I walked to the metro, I wondered how WMATA was going to handle the snow. Sure enough, trains on time. Job well done Metro. Glad to know you have so much enthusiasm for the storm: "As the region welcomes its first major winter storm of the new year, Metro is prepared and ready to go."

Of course when I emerged from underground in Arlington, the view was a lot different. They had several inches here and the winds were whipping. I hardly saw any cars and there was very little sign of life at 6:20 in the morning.

So, now as I stare out this window, it is only getting worse. 395 has about 6 cars on it. The roads are not getting plowed. What is the point when this snow won't stop till after 12 noon? And yes, it is snowing sideways. Reconsidering that liberal leave?

Maybe it is time for OPM to update its recommendation for 2-hour delay and Liberal Leave to "CLOSED." After all, I could use the day off.

Walking Backwards in Winter

Okay, this is going to be an easy one to write. Anyone else tired of this winter weather and having to walk backwards to shield your face from these ridiculous winds? Whether you are waiting for the bus like me, or walking your dog like your neighbor, these winter winds seems to cut right through you.

Is it just me or does it seem the closer we creep to Spring the more we are reminded of that silly mammal that lives in Pennsylvania with his shadow. Here we are in the last week of February and I wish we could just skip March and go straight to April. That would make Lent a lot easier.

Perhaps it is because I have not entirely thawed out from the Inaugural Parade - all 8 hours of standing outside in that cold. If you are asking, my answer is "Yes, it was worth it." And to quote a dear friend of mine. "The only way I will do it again is if I am in the limo." She has a point, but I still can't believe what a day that was. It was one of DC's proudest moments on this blog. They did such a good job handling the event. Of course, I saw the overtime cost to the city and the federal government the other day. Those numbers are are worthy of their own blog entry. I will get to work on that soon. Back to work.

Saturday Mornings in a Capital City

Have you ever gotten up really early on a Saturday and just walked around parts of Downtown DC? Before you shrug at the idea of getting up early on a weekend, hear me out. Washington is a city that has moods and waves and patterns. Washington rush hour is a wave of activity in the morning and afternoon. Washington traffic is a pattern, well sort of anyway...if you can call chaos a pattern, that is. As far as moods, early Saturday mornings capture what I call Washington in a good mood.

It is when you get the best of all things Washington. Today for example, is that perfect April or September weather, only it is July. The city is buzzing with the perfect mix of tourists and locals. All us businessmen and businesswomen are home reading the weekend edition of the Post, or the NYTimes for all you wannabe "real city" folks. Okay, so maybe I am not at home reading the Post, but I am at a downtown cafe, enjoying my coffee and bagel watching the world walk by my window.

I love the looks on the faces of the tourist families as they begin their long days walk around the city. They are so eager and so happy to be here. The tourist kids on the metro remind me why this is a great city. You know the kids that swing innocently on the handrails and get all excited at the idea of going to a spy museum or going to the top of the Washington Monument.

So, I just want to give a shout out to all those early risers, whether you are a tourist or a resident, eager to discover Washington at its best. Thanks for making my weekend mornings enjoyable.

Oh, and if you end up liking Saturday mornings in Washington, you should try Sunday mornings. I swear the city is so quiet that you can walk right down the middle of Wisconsin Avenue at 6 am as if it was a sidewalk. That reminds me of the time I went skiing down the middle of Wisconsin Avenue to go to the grocery store. I will save that entry for the winter months, when Washington is bound to have a blizzard crisis with all the bread and milk shortages.