Thankfully the blizzard was late enough that it didn’t affect my drive to and from Alma too much. The biggest problem was wind, with mild turbulence on most of the drive up, and certainly not mild turbulence knocking the van around on the drive home. With the big open fields along 127, there was masses of snow blowing across the road, but the roads themselves were still dry. Just off the road, the snow was blowing enough that you could hardly see houses along the way, and combined with the wisps sailing across the road, at times it felt like driving across a cloud.

Getting into Lansing, cars were lined up getting into and out of Kroger and Meijer – guess everyone decided to wait until after work to stock up. Guess it kind of all caught us by surprise. (Historic note to anyone reading this at some point in the distant or even not very distant future – I’m being sarcastic. The snowpocalypse has been mentioned in every conversation by anyone living in the midwest for days. Even just buying tickets to the Daddy/Daughter dance next week – Ella is thrilled – the ticket sales lady even brought it up out of nowhere.)

Despite an almost guaranteed snow day on Wednesday, Owen still woke up distraught that today wasn’t cancelled. He had worn his pajamas not only backwards, but inside out as well. Spoon under the pillow, ice cube down the toilet. Everything according to ritual! For tomorrow, school was cancelled even before they left this afternoon. Heck, even MSU has shut down to all but critical personnel.

So far it hasn’t been massive blizzard conditions, just a good steady snow that keeps going… and going… plus some hefty winds. For a bit it upgraded to ice raining against the house, but it sounds like that might be letting up. Think I might put on the boots and check the ruler I stuck out in the snow this evening. First reading was 4 inches from previous snows, and then from 7pm to 9pm 1.5 inches fell.

• life