Amanda Lamb: Frozen

For a television reporter, snow means work. To kids, even teenagers, snow means fun.

I prepared my family the best I could before I went to work at 4 a.m., Saturday. I went to the grocery store and bought plenty of comfort food. I pulled out snow gear, sleds, and a shovel.

Of course, when I woke up Saturday morning there was nothing but sleet. I was worried that they would be disappointed. But, luckily, the minor dusting we got later in the morning was just the thing to get them excited. My 13-year-old suited up and grabbed her Red Flyer and headed for the hill in our neighborhood to meet friends. Later, she would show me videos of what I would dub “mud-sledding.”

The irony is that the thick layer of ice that still coats our steep street has prevented anyone from getting out - and with temperatures not predicted to rise anytime soon, we are housebound.

But it has forced some positive moments of togetherness that are rare in our chaotic daily lives which center around work, school and our children’s activities. We made dinner with neighbors and played card games with the kids Saturday night.

As I write this Sunday morning by the fireplace with a cup of coffee at arm’s reach, I hear the makings of pancakes happening in the kitchen nearby — items being mixed in bowl, the sizzle of the pan as the batter is poured in, plates being removed from the cabinets.

This will only last for a short time until the sun and milder temperatures dislodge nature’s icy fury. It’s like hitting a pause button on our busy lives. It is but a moment in time, but I’ll take it.