Let it snow

Scott Loftis

If the forecasters are to believed, Carroll County might get a foot of snow by the time you read this column.

I won’t mind that too much. My wife had already scheduled a vacation day Wednesday for a doctor’s appointment in Fayetteville that will almost surely be canceled.

Meanwhile, my to-do list is running over with things that need to get done. A lot of that has to with buying the newspaper a few weeks ago. There are vendor contracts to sign, new technology to learn and other bits of work that have to get done before we’ll be operating at full speed. Add to that the fact that we’re in the middle of moving, with all that brings: setting up new utilities, making sure someone is at the new office to meet the installers, etc., etc., etc.

All of that to say, I really won’t mind being stuck at home for a day. I can work from the house, but I might also find time to sneak in a nap. Maybe I’ll even cook up a pot of chili and spent some time just relaxing in front of the TV with my wife.

Snow days now are, of course, much different than when I was a kid. I can still remember anxiously listening to the radio to see if I’d get an extra day home from school. And who can forget playing in the snow? I don’t dare try that now, for fear I’ll break an arm or a leg, but I know the kids of Carroll County will have a blast. I’m sure there will be children of all ages sliding down the hill next to the Berryville Community Center.

Although the snow can be lots of fun, it also can be dangerous. Of course, driving with a foot of snow on the ground can be tricky. If utilities are affected, folks could be left without heat, and people with medical conditions can be left vulnerable.

I worry, too, about the less fortunate in our community. There are folks right here in Carroll County who don’t have adequate shelter. If those people can’t find shelter and heat, a snow event like we are predicted to have could result in very dire consequences.

I suppose the snow, like everything else, is a matter of perspective. Some of us will revel in it, some of us will be ambivalent about it and some of us will curse it.

My hope is that the kids have fun, the power stays on it, and that everyone remains safe. As long as all that transpires, then I say, let it snow.

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Scott Loftis is editor and publisher of the Carroll County News. His email address is SLoftis@carrollconews. com