Last Snow Day, Bryant Park

I think we're at #9 and on this occasion we hit the slopes of Northside, built a snow fort and spun down the slope with grace. Back on 1800 block someone had carved a snow hole.

Snow Day #4

So J ate an icicle off a car and said that she would throw an ice-ball at me. No school is boring in a way. You invite everybody on the first two days then you realize there is nothing left to do so you watch TV instead.

Snow Day #2, Carillon

The European Dad's hit the Alpine slopes in style, with some serious speed, shrub crashes and drift roll-overs. It was the best fun ever, except the kids decided not to take part and skulked in a nearby amphitheater.

Comfort Food in RVA

When it's freezing outside you might need a little RVA comfort food and so to brunch at Cafe 182... tempted by the Cowboy Benedict but the French toast, an omelette, a stack of pancakes (well 1 really) and a breakfast burrito won.

Back home we did the annual pancakes and for that 4th Snow Day, a true Dutch uitsmijter (single egg though).

Snow Day #2 Indoors

Hot soya choc without marshmallows, a gingerbread latte with almond milk that actually didn't match the promise of its name and some homework intensive time - here kids-spell gets its first outing in a labelled cold-weather clothing drawing.

Snow Day #2 Outdoors

A hike to Swan Lake and some fast sledging to the water's edge... saw folks we know and got on local TV. Winter Storm J*** left her mark in RVA, though controversially not so much on NYC.

Snow Paint on Floyd

I must have lent the food colouring out, instead poster paints got flung out across the stoep and left a startling splash for days.

Snow Day No. X

You know the joy is over when no-one wants to get out the sledge and hurtle down towards the pond. A brief bit of the outdoors and we were back indoors to reboot the heating and roll Fantastic Mr Fox - thank heavens for Wes Anderson and George Clooney.

Impressive icicles still add an edge to things though and if hanging under a car are an irresistible petroleum-based snack.