Sunday, August 14, 2011

Wintry magic

How to start this post. A week or two ago, I was taking photos of the hail on our deck and wishing for snow during what was to be the "last Antarctic blast" for this winter. The blast came and went and it started becoming warm in Wellington.

So pre-snow-wishing life continued. Lyla received her first ever invitation to a birthday party, and I mean a non-family party. Today was the big day, and off Lyla and I went to conquer the windy, narrow, badly labelled streets of Wellington to find this party. It was the chaotic affair that you would expect a 4th birthday party to be (with the added bonus of some really BADLY BEHAVED children...grrr...but that is for another post).

As we were getting ready to leave, I received a text from the man - "Its snown hea." I had to read it twice, and then check the date received. I looked outside, and it looked like it was raining, so I stuck out my hand and felt the soft snowflakes land and then melt in my palm. I was ecstatic (to put it mildly). As I much as I tried to contain myself and react in a suitably mature manner, I just couldn't. So I ran back inside to where the palagi parents were having a cuppa tea and civilized conversation and (wide-eyed and maybe slightly crazed in appearance) I shouted, "It's snowing!!"

Everyone else was excited of course (maybe not on the same insane level as me) and ran out to see the snow. The cars on the street were just starting to get a dusting of snow. Like the responsible parent I am, I put Lyla in her carseat, forgot to strap her in, and instead grabbed the camera and started taking photos. The drive home conservation was something like this... "Lyla, look outside. It's snowing!!" "Mummy, my shoes are wet."  "Everything is so white! OMG this is SO cool!" "Can I change my tights when I get home?"
Could I get more fresh? And could my kid get more OCD?

We arrived home to a completely white street, and we immediately bundled up and trooped outside to make a lazy, not-quite-so-snowmanny-shaped snowman and take more photos. However, being tropical natives, the man and I didn't last long in the snow, and before you know it we were back inside having hot chocolate (for Lyla) and koko Samoa (for Lyla's parents).

The snow seems to be melting now, but that's ok. While the snow was here, it was everything I had imagined it would be. I could not ask for more.

Staring upwards in awe

The same deck that was hailed on only a week ago

The view of the street from the deck. So pretty

Lyla and our snow guest, a dedication to David Tua :)


The perfect way to end a snowballin' session - hot koko Samoa


4 comments:

Lani Wendt Young said...

I am so so jealous. I am in wintry awe. And hey, I like the imagery and expression coming out in this post too, nice one!
Your pics remind me of my first winter in Washington DC. Snow, Xmas lights, eating chocolate pudding from inside a sauna hot temp controlled house ( we had a psycho high power bill bcos we cranked that thermostat up and walked around in tshirts and shorts while outside was a winter wonderland and went swimming in the heated outdoor pool. Crazy islanders.)

Meanwhile here in Auckland? We are just cold. No snowflakes. No snowmen. No hot chocolate. Nuffing. Just cold. Dammnit.

Laura said...

OMG!! I don't know what made me laugh louder - your freshness or Lali's OCD-ness.

kuaback said...

When you mentioned it was snowing in Welli on Twitter my eyeballs almost came out of its sockets..bhahahahaha...that's so unheard of...At leats you've seen snow in real life..i might just fly to Utah for xmas so we can see some snow..hehehe.

talia said...

LOL - jealous much!! We just got random bouts of hail, no snow in Rewa boo.