For a New-Englander like myself, 5 inches of snow is a decent enough for one day off school. I’m almost certain in my ability to know when school will be cancelled due to the many inches, sometimes even feet, of snow I have seen. Ireland, on the other hand, hasn’t experienced any type of significant snowfall in years! I basically witnessed history this past weekend thanks to Blizzard Emma! The entire country was under a Red Weather Warning from Thursday all the way to Saturday evening. Luckily enough, Limerick just happened to be right on the edge of the storm, so we got enough snow to enjoy without truly being “snowed in”.
The Stapleton family offered to bring me into their home, so I had somewhere and someone to spend the blizzard with. Beginning Thursday evening we enjoyed family meal all around the dinner table. We jokingly exchanged banter back and forth about the upcoming storm but were filled with excitement for what Friday morning would bring. I woke up at about 8am to the sound of children playing outside and peeked out the window to see a beautiful white snow-covered yard. I tossed and turned for another hour then finally jumped out of bed to join in the fun. Laura’s mother came running into the kitchen in full snow attire pulling us into the cold. I got my turn at sledding and even surfing down a hill. Surprisingly, I saw my LIT professor who lives down the street and joined into a snowball fight among fellow neighbours. It was great fun and I was in bed by 8pm that evening.
See, us “snow day professionals” know the routine. Firstly, SLEEP IN! It’s a day off! Secondly, snow pants, gloves, a hat, and a sled at the ready! Thirdly, hot chocolate and baked goods. And last, but certainly not least, a warm cosy fire burning, blankets, and a movie. So, I was up a wee bit earlier than expected but I completely understand the excitement amongst all the Irish people. Nothing beats the homemade cooking of the Stapleton family either. I enjoyed my first ham, veg, potato, and turnip dinner as well as potato pancakes. Laura and I even made buns and scones! I spent two nights sitting by the fire enjoying quality time with an incredibly loving family.
All in all, I had one of the best snow days thus far in my life! Huge thank you to the Stapleton family for allowing me to enjoy my first international snow day with them!
Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow!
