In the aftermath of this weeks monster blizzard, I found myself alone in the newsroom Wednes- day. Anthony Wahl, our photographer extraordinaire, was in Brodhead, where he was going to shoot a photo and e-mail it over, so I grabbed a camera and headed out to see what I could find in Monroe.
Keep in mind I dont get out of the office much anymore. OK, never. Plus, photography is not my strong suit: I lack both the technical expertise and the artistic sensibility a great photographer like Tony has. But desperate times call for desperate measures, so out I went.
Along the way, I met two young men who made it all worthwhile.
The Horner brothers, Blake and Austin, were out shoveling snow. They looked like they were having a good time, so I parked and jumped out, camera in hand.
They were thrilled at the prospect of having their photo in the Times. Austin, 11, referred to me as a girl from the newspaper. Imagine my delight I havent been referred to as a girl by a young whippersnapper like Austin for eons.
Blake, 9, was equally charming. After the boys gave me their personal information, as well as their parents ages which I didnt need, they took me to the door so I could meet their mother.
Blake walked along with me back to my vehicle and asked me, out of the blue, if I had snowpants. I stood there in my blue jeans and realized that I havent owned snowpants in more than three decades.
You should get some, he advised.
Then, another random question: Do I have kids?
Yes, I told him, I have three girls.
And their ages? he inquired.
Four, six and 10, I replied.
That met with his approval. Thats pretty good, he said.
I bet you love them a lot.
Yes I do, I told him.
And with a wave, I was off. Smiling.
* * *
Theres a lot of armchair quarterbacking when it comes to school closings. Some people complain school districts are too quick to call off school; others say school districts wait too long to declare a snow day.
Its a tough call, to be sure. School officials have to grapple with meeting state requirements for instructional days while ensuring the safety of children all children, including those who live on rural bus routes where the conditions can be vastly different than what us townies experience. And despite all our meteorological knowledge and technology, our weather in Wisconsin still has a way of surprising us at the last minute.
In Monroe, this weeks storm forced schools to be closed Wednesday and Thursday, the first full snow days the district has had this year. As a result, the end of school has to be pushed back now the last day of school for students will be Monday, June 6, instead of Friday, June 3.
But stay tuned: There could be more winter weather in store for us this season.
Mary Jane Grenzow is the editor of The Monroe Times.
Keep in mind I dont get out of the office much anymore. OK, never. Plus, photography is not my strong suit: I lack both the technical expertise and the artistic sensibility a great photographer like Tony has. But desperate times call for desperate measures, so out I went.
Along the way, I met two young men who made it all worthwhile.
The Horner brothers, Blake and Austin, were out shoveling snow. They looked like they were having a good time, so I parked and jumped out, camera in hand.
They were thrilled at the prospect of having their photo in the Times. Austin, 11, referred to me as a girl from the newspaper. Imagine my delight I havent been referred to as a girl by a young whippersnapper like Austin for eons.
Blake, 9, was equally charming. After the boys gave me their personal information, as well as their parents ages which I didnt need, they took me to the door so I could meet their mother.
Blake walked along with me back to my vehicle and asked me, out of the blue, if I had snowpants. I stood there in my blue jeans and realized that I havent owned snowpants in more than three decades.
You should get some, he advised.
Then, another random question: Do I have kids?
Yes, I told him, I have three girls.
And their ages? he inquired.
Four, six and 10, I replied.
That met with his approval. Thats pretty good, he said.
I bet you love them a lot.
Yes I do, I told him.
And with a wave, I was off. Smiling.
* * *
Theres a lot of armchair quarterbacking when it comes to school closings. Some people complain school districts are too quick to call off school; others say school districts wait too long to declare a snow day.
Its a tough call, to be sure. School officials have to grapple with meeting state requirements for instructional days while ensuring the safety of children all children, including those who live on rural bus routes where the conditions can be vastly different than what us townies experience. And despite all our meteorological knowledge and technology, our weather in Wisconsin still has a way of surprising us at the last minute.
In Monroe, this weeks storm forced schools to be closed Wednesday and Thursday, the first full snow days the district has had this year. As a result, the end of school has to be pushed back now the last day of school for students will be Monday, June 6, instead of Friday, June 3.
But stay tuned: There could be more winter weather in store for us this season.
Mary Jane Grenzow is the editor of The Monroe Times.
