Tuesday 8 April 2008

First Time

I love the snow.

Not the mucky slush that slides grey over the pavements, I mean real snow – tumbling flakes and crunchy underfoot and cold down the back of my neck. I love to be out in it – I’ve walked in snow, camped in it, cycled in it, fought in it and fucked in it. It elates and intrigues me.

I love thunderstorms, crashing and passionate extremes of wild weather. I love wind-thrashed seas pounding on the shingle and the icy douse of the glittering spray.

And I love the sun – I turn my face to it and feel it lift my heart.

This morning, it was snowing – properly snowing, not the desultory sneeze I glimpsed through my hangover on Easter Sunday morning. As I watched, it blanketed the grass, softened the trees and a muffled quiet settled with the flakes.

My son has never seen real snow. While I broke the garden’s perfection with my cherry-red Docs, he stood in my bedroom window, his cub nose pressed against the cold glass. He wanted to go out in it, but was wide-eyed and wary and had to know it was safe.

When he came outside, he wouldn’t put his feet in the white stuff. He tracked in my bootprints to the sounds of the neighbourhood’s kids shrieking with glee. Then he stood, staring, as they pelted each other with snowballs and squalled defiance of the chill.

A couple of snowballs in the face, though, and he got the idea.

We joined in too – four thirty-something Mums giggling like girls as we dodged the incoming bombardment. We built the ubiquitous snowman and were pushing the kids round the garden in Joshua’s mini-Jeep, stopping to kick the caked snow from its tyres.

There were tears and tantrums, wet feet and and cold fingers, and a very excited dog. There was laughter and elation and excitement; there were kids soaked from head to foot and Mums yowling encouragement and offering cuddles.

There’s something about snow that just brings out the child in all of us.

It was a magical first experience for my small son.

And a new one for me as I’ve never taken – or tried to edit – a video before. I wouldn’t have done this one, but for @joec0914.

Amazing, the things that Twitter makes you do.



7 comments:

Anonymous said...

mate, that is awesome! i loved seeing a little glimpse into your world. and you have a very soothing voice :p

good job!

from Elise (AKA Calypso from twitter)

Danacea said...

Thank you *grin!* That's my best BBC voice, btw - saved for Utterz and video narration...

Joe C said...

Danie, you've made my day. Thank you so much for that. Odd isn't it, how snow can warm one's heart. :)

Danacea said...

Thanks for the comment - real UK snow is very rare now and very much enjoyed - by cubs of all sizes!

Anonymous said...

No I will not be gentle, Just honest!

Danie that was a beautifully poetically written post that captured the excitement perfectly of everyone involved. But better still to then see the reality, the snow, the kids in the video was... well... touching and real!

I've never had that experience ever in my life. Just too warm in my part of Australia. Thanks for sharing your part of Britain.

Wonderful :-)

Danacea said...

Thank you - just a little glimpse of real snow in London :)

Anonymous said...

you were quicker than me!!!
not fair!!!
lol!!!