Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Once Upon a Time Wednesday

Once upon a time Wednesday is about things from the past. There are many stories in my head that I want to share with my girls. The trip to Ellis Island, thank you very much Liberty Mutual, this summer made me realize that I had to get these stories documented. History is extremely important and fun!  Play along if you want!

Once Upon a Time.... when I was almost 11, we had a major snowstorm in the Northeast called the Blizzard of '78. School was cancelled for days. We got close to 4 feet of snow in the suburbs of Boston. It was a kids paradise and probably a parent's nightmare.

The 2 best memories I have of that storm are the beer bread and my trek across the street.

My mom was an avid listener of WBZ and Dave Maynard. He gave out his tried and true recipe for Beer Bread that was a must have for a snowy day in New England. My mom had to try it! I just remember my dad picking it up and relating it to a brick. I don't know what happened, but it did not turn out to be the best bread for a snowy day. She claims it had something to do with the yeast, I think she may have drank the beer instead of putting it into the batter. I would have with 3 little kids and a blizzard.

When the snow finally stopped,  it was almost over my head. My best friend lived across the street up a big hill. I put on all my snow gear and swam over to her house. That's right: swam. I couldn't walk in it, so I swam/crawled across the street and up the big hill to her house. I swam over their car that was stuck at the bottom of the driveway. You could only see the antenna.

I seem to recall my dad's snowblower laughing at him, too, when he attempted to attack the driveway.

I don't remember it ever snowing that much since then. When the girls were little it snowed a few feet one winter. We would throw them up in the air and let them land in snowbanks cracking up. Their favorite things to do in the snow were to slide off the roof of my minivan or jump off the railing of the deck.

The girls and I are a little jealous of the snow that suburban Boston is getting today. The Cape is getting lots of rain while my brother is getting a ton of snow. Sadly enough, we don't think he is going to make snow angels or snow forts, therefore not taking full advantage of the snow like we would have. We are treating it like any snow day though with snuggling on the couch, watching tv and baking.

Hey Mom, do you still have the beer bread recipe?

9 comments:

Liz@thisfullhouse said...

I remember that snowstorm -- totally covered my dad's vw van -- Snowmaggedon '10 (day after Christmas) dropped over 2 feet here on the Jersey Shore and is the most snow we've gotten in one storm, in recent memory.

Anonymous said...

I've given up on the cheese/beer bread1 What a disaster! I should check one of his cookbooks to see if the recipe is in it. I am making peanutbutter rice krispie squares while drinking hot chocolate laced with Bailey's. Yum! Nana

Melisa Wells said...

In Chicago we had a big blizzard in '79. I remember not being able to get out of the house via the back door because the drifting had blocked the ENTIRE door (all the way to the top!). The front door worked, though. SO FUN!

Unknown said...

My mom has a great pictures of my brother - age 7 standing next to a snow pile - he has his hand up and the snow is STILL about a foot taller than him! and dave Maynard - the sound of my youth - my parents were die hard listeners too!
My parents in central MA got anbout 18" yesterday, I heard that the Cape only got rain (but still cancelled school!) we are on snow day #4 - I am begining to feel for my Mom during the blizzard of 78!

Justine said...

I'm wondering if that's the same snow storm that I have very vague memories of when I was 8, I guess it would be. I don't remember much, except our pathway shoveled out and just loads of snow on either side.

And you think you're jealous of the snow up there? Sheesh.

Justine :o )

Betty said...

I can not relate. It was like 75 degrees in Santa Monica today. So lovely!

Claudya Martinez said...

I never knew you could swim in snow.

Mrs4444 said...

I loved picturing you swimming to your friend's house--great stories :) I smiled all the way through.

PUMPKIN PETUNIA said...

Love your memories of the Blizzard of '78! My memories from that evolve around bread as well. I guess it was all about the bread - and likely how we couldn't get any!

We dragged our sled to the bakery up the street to get some bread only to find that they were sold out!