The Almost Snow

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My Russo Men as zombies (I didn’t fix the red eyes)

At least once a year Don & I try to get away with all our kids and their families. Destinations have included beach retreats, amusement parks & resorts. When you try to negotiate 15 different schedule needs sometimes winter works best and sometimes it’s summer. We have been fortunate the past two winters because the week we chose to congregate has coincided with snow storms. This has been a big benefit for those members whose schedules depend on school systems. Whether as students or school system employees our ‘snow days’ mean not having to use any paid time off or unexcused absence time. Of course the fact that our school systems close when there is a threat of snow is an added bonus.

The Russos “have always been dependent on the kindness of strangers” and friends. This trip is no exception.
We are able to obtain great accommodations at the Massanutten Resort because we have friends who are time share owners there & graciously book our units for us. Between the Marables and the Thieles we have had many years of memory making at Massanutten. Gatorade bottles in the ski lodge & a mimosa tree one Christmas come to mind. This trip Don & I offered to take all the kids to the water park for a day of fun. While standing in line to buy tickets a gentleman ahead of us turned around a gave Don a discount coupon that landed us half priced admission. I guess our handing off a groupon for half price admission to the Chriskindlemart in Bethlehem to a grateful stranger facilitated that bit of karma.

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The Russos have so much fun that other random children hitch onto our “tube train” just to be a part of it.

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Exhausted at days end.

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The untold benefit of spending the day at the Water Park is that the children come home exhausted and sleep well.

Of course no Russo round up is complete without extensive menu planning and food. Becky Thiele, who has been a witness to many Russo gatherings is constantly amazed at the amount of eating that goes on.

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Menu planning

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Willow nervously eyeing the cooking pot, concerned that she may end up in it.

When not eating, swimming, sauna-ing (?) & skating there is a significant amount of time spent on game playing.

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Rounds & rounds of WAR

A late night favorite

The weather has not been too cooperative for snow sports so far. It was decided that the snow boarders were not going to board this trip. They have another trip pending in February and will board then. The gang did go ice skating outdoors one night at the illuminated rink. While we waited for the promise of “a significant snow event” (Washington D.C. forecasters lingo, not mine) we readied up our boots, snow bibs and sled. Frequent check ins with my sister, Dawn, up in Long Island assured us that they were well prepared for the pounding they were predicted to get. In keeping with my new attitude of “embracing winter” this year (and not having to go anywhere) I was anticipating that at our higher elevation we would see some accumulation.

Boy, were we disappointed.

My sister wracked up a total of about 2 feet in Wantaugh. Facebook photos from nearby Harrisonburg were showing a couple of inches. Up on the mountain here, we received what I wouldn’t even characterize as a dusting. It had all melted by late morning the next day. I’m sure the ski resort management were crying into their North Face jackets. Reports from home indicated that we had somewhere between 3-4 inches up on my mountain & VDOT had already been through.

We departed our mid-winter retreat and about 2 miles down the road we found the snow we were missing on the mountain. I guess that snow line stopped right before us.

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A little snow in Harrisonburg

Don, Damian & I headed up I-81 in the late afternoon. We decided to make a detour at a local treasure of a restaurant in New Market, VA called Southern Kitchen. This establishment has been family owned for it’s entire 60 year existence and has been featured in national publications for it’s famous peanut soup, fried chicken and home made pies. We discovered it while making one of our VMI pilgrimages during Eric’s incarceration, I mean ATTENDANCE, at that fine institute of higher education. The staff is always friendly and the decor is delightful. I am particularly fond of the original neon sign that is really cool looking on a hot summer night.

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Don giving me the stink eye because I am delaying his foray into fried chicken heaven.

If you happen by, I highly recommend the fried chicken and either the lemon meringue or coconut custard pie. I guarantee you will not be disappointed. Once stuffed, we headed back home where we located the lost snow.

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It is beautiful up here. Local folks, now you know why school gets cancelled in Fauquier County.

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