Raphaela's ballet recital has not been canceled, so we brave the dust storm to get to the studio, and I take tons of pictures and video.
"In anticipation of..." the upcoming snow storm, school has been canceled for Wednesday and the mayor of Jerusalem announces that as of 9 am the following morning, the two main roads going in and out of Jerusalem - Route 443 and Route 1 - will be shut off to traffic.
I heat up the water and give Raphaela a bath, wondering if it will be her last bath for the next few days.
Wednesday
The weather report says that the snow will only start around two in the afternoon, so we celebrate a snow day without snow. I heat up the water and take a shower, and cook a bunch of cold-weather appropriate foods, and check email, thinking that it may be the last opportunity for the next few days.
Around one pm, Raphaela and I go into bed for a nap, and I promise her that when we wake up, there will be a white landscape. Thunder and lightning threaten as we close our eyes. As soon as Raphaela wakes up from her nap, she asks in a frenzy, "Quick check! Do we have water and electricity?!"
The grass outside shows barely a sprinkle of snow, children everywhere are disappointed they cannot make a snow man, and parents everywhere cannot understand why school was canceled.
I heat up the water and give Raphaela a bath, just in case.
Thursday
We wake up to watery icy sludge on the street, and the Jerusalem Municipality announces that classes will begin at 10 am. Raphaela, who has recently split open her chin in a fall at school, decides that she does not want to slip on the ice and she would rather stay home. Besides, if she goes outside she will have to wear pants, and HRH the Princess simply does not wear pants. It is undignified.
I don't care one way or the other, all my patients have canceled through the weekend. Instead, I heat up the water and take a shower, wash the dishes in the sink, back up my iPhone and throw in a load of laundry, religiously following the Girl Scout model IE "Be Prepared."
Slogging through the slush, Raphaela and I arrived at her Gan, with half the parents keeping their children home because of dangerous road conditions, and the teachers shouting and freaking out because of the danger of the streets and sidewalks. I assure Raphaela that her teacher is not shouting at her, they are just all angry at the rain and the snow.
I consider not taking Raphaela to English class today, because there is no way in hell my car is moving out of the driveway. I have parked in a spot that hopefully this year, when the "real snow" arrives tonight and tomorrow, it will not be buried under a fallen tree like last year.
A normal night IE bath and dinner and a little bit of Dora the Explorer and surprise NOT, school has been canceled for tomorrow in anticipation of the "real storm" that thus far has eluded the esteemed weather forecasters.
Friday Morning
The snow was supposed to have begun around four am, at 8:30 am there isn't even rain, never mind the Storm to End All Storms. I haven't worked for three days now, Raphaela has begun to go stir crazy inside the house and away from her friends and her normal routine.
The Municipality damn well better make up these lost days of classes somewhere along the way.
At the very least, these days of bogus vacation have granted me the opportunity to spend time with my daughter, and appreciate the small and yet essential conveniences in life.
(The saddest little snow man in Jerusalem.)
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