Wedding Whiteout

December 21, 2008
Wedding Whiteout


The snow drawing of our house was done before the heaviest of the snowstorms began. Since, we've continued to be slammed night and day, so that the entire world outside our window looks like it's been covered in a layer of fluffy marshmallows. We're high and far away enough from the Columbia River that our snow is of the light, dry variety. Even so, it's been coming so steadily that we've now got a couple feet of it.

A couple times a day, I shovel my way from the front door to both cars; clearing them out of their white cocoons and starting both vehicles to warm up. It remains below freezing. . . closer to zero as it has for days, so we leave our faucets running too. Our house is blessedly warm, now toastier than ever, with five new, air tight windows; a new roof; newly insulated roof, floors and walls and a new heat pump.

I'm glad I chose not to go to the wedding and am glad I trusted my instincts. The freeway between Moro and White Salmon has been closed since last night. White Salmon and Hood River are enduring freezing rain. The wedding was to take place about nine miles deep into the woods from White Salmon. I’m eager to find out whether anyone showed up besides the bride and groom. Or if anyone got stranded while on route to or from the wedding. I certainly wasn't willing to risk being one of them. Maybe I'm getting "chicken" in my old age, but I'd prefer to call it being "wise".