The Return Of Frosty The Snowman

Frosty the snowman returned this week. He is being drug tested as I write this; no snowman gains girth the likes observed on this frozen monster without the benefit of performance enhancing drugs. My guess is when he leaves us this time he'll head south to join a major league baseball team for spring training, a sport where body sizes appear to double daily.

Frosty's encore was made possible by a major snowstorm that plowed up the coast this weekend. We had about 11 inches here, which is more snow than I've seen in total over the past decade. The storm hit Sunday, today is Wednesday, and schools still aren't open. All local governments closed down Monday. Life in central Virginia came to a stop. That is unless you are a snowman.

When I first told Elliott we would be bringing frosty back yesterday, he was surprised, yet excited. I guess he assumed all possibilities of resuscitation melted long ago. Even as we shaped his cold body, Elliott seemed mystified by the thought of Frosty's return, I think he expected Frosty would glide up the driveway and plant himself in the snow covered spot he abandoned several weeks ago. But that would have denied Elliott the opportunity of being a hero.

When I put Elliott to bed last night, I asked him our nightly question: "Did you have a good day?" His reply, "Elliott had a good day, Elliott helped bring Frosty back." He might as well have been a doctor recalling a successful day in the operating room.   The temperatures are forecast to reach the 70's this weekend, so he may want to keep hold of his stethoscope.

In fairness to Frosty, Elliott's appearance had also changed since last they met.  Not as dramatic, but changed.  The forest of curly locks bedded on his head received a much needed thinning.  Elliott was wearing a hat, so I'm sure it went unnoticed in Frosty's grape colored (and flavored for that matter) eyes.  If he had noticed, I'm afraid he would have asked "Dude, who cut your hair?"  To which Elliott would have innocently responded, "My mom."

Katie had placed a book on hold at the library and it finally came in this weekend.  The fact that it was on hold at all speaks to its popularity.  I guess in these hard economic times mothers are looking to cut corners, or curls in our case, to save a few pennies.  I don't know that this bodes well for the near future of youth hairstyles.  There are entire schools devoted to the art of cutting hair, yet, it's clear local mothers are condensing the merits of that education to a 115 page, illustrated book, available in the tiny Ashland library.  A book published in 1994 nonetheless.