It IS Oklahoma, after all. That’s why we aren’t surprised when there is snow and ice on the ground two days after our short-sleeves stroll-the-sidewalks weather. But is unusual that the snow day coincides with a holiday – President’s Day, in this instance – in which the schools, the banks, the city offices, and past-presidents are all allowed a day off.
Neighborhood streets have that weird mix of snow and ice. The frozen part is underneath and makes for strange traction (or lack of) when driving. Here in Broken Arrow every car and truck is a snow-busting ice cruiser, and every driver knows it. Put the pedal to the metal.
Thanks to Mr. Steve of the City of Broken Arrow and his crews for getting the primary streets drivable. Here is the Rose District there were backhoes and graders whipping back and forth clearing the intersections and parking spaces. I was out for a time and didn’t hear or see any crashing cars.
The bistro kitchen is taking a snow day. Unlike all-day restaurants, we have only a few hours to serve all the food we prepare for lunchtime. And it takes hours to prepare. Tomorrow’s forecast is for clearing streets and warm bowls of Irish Stew.
You can see in the image that a path has been beaten to the front door of the shop. (Actually, scraped with a shovel rather than actually being trampled by footsteps…) Thanks to our next-door neighbor John, who with his wife Kelly operate Glamour Gowns & More: he was out with an implement and some ice-melt.
In nine years on Main Street, there has only been one occasion that the store has been open for business and not a single book was sold. That was four years ago, during the big February blizzard. When I finally got the car out of the driveway and made it to the store, I high-centered on a snowdrift and had to abandon ship right there. After trudging to the door and warming myself inside, I sat at the desk for the better part of two hours doing some work but mostly worrying about the drive home.
I locked up and crept away through mounds of white, after finally working the car out of the snow-locked parking lot.
So by comparison, today is positively tropical. Even as we speak there are folks in the store browsing for books.
A little snow is no match for a genuine book emergency. In this morning’s case, C.S. Lewis and the Chronicles of Narnia, just sent out to a new home. Mission accomplished!
When you are shoveled out, come visit!
McHuston
Booksellers & Irish Bistro
Rose District
122 South Main St. Broken Arrow OK!
