Living in Colorado, the winters aren’t actually that bad — better than most people would perceive.  The biggest reason is because the air is dry, and the snow tends to evaporate between snowstorms (instead of melting).  We also enjoy fluctuating temperatures during the winter, so it can be 50 or 60 degrees the day after a snowstorm.

My first big snowstorm was in 1986, shortly after we moved to Colorado.  I think we got several feet in that storm, but I don’t remember exactly how much because I was only 6!  I do, however, remember being elated to have several days off of school.

Of course, what "snow day" meant to me and my sister was the opportunity to play in the snow.  So my mom dug out our childrens ski clothes and bundled us up in long underwear, turtlenecks, ski pants, and youth snowboard jackets.  We were winter kids all right, and we had all the gear to prove it!

The snow was glorious, deep enough to make tunnels just by digging.  I made a tunnel and hung out in it for a while before getting bored.  Then my friend and I dug a trench under each swing on the swingset, and piled the snow up extra high in front so that we could jump off of the swings and land in the snow.  My poor sister didn’t get to enjoy it much, though — she was so little that when she stepped off the porch, all you could see above the snow was the very top of her head!

That was a great snowstorm — too bad we don’t get many like that!

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