Snow.
Again.
Christmas had been magical.
Days off school in January building snowmen had been fun.
Now it was February.
The thought of ice cold hands and toes put him off going outside.
The roads were closed. Elsa had put ‘Frozen’ on for the hundredth time.
Football practice had been cancelled for the third week in a row.
Grandad had slipped and done something to his back.
Enough already.
He saw Dad walking up the hill, waving and smiling, pointing at something he was pulling.
His eyes lit up and he dashed to get his boots on.
Time for sledging!
Written as part of the Friday Fictioneers challenge hosted by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields (more details HERE). The idea is to write a short story of 100 words based on the photo prompt (above).
To read stories of 100 words based on this week’s prompt, visit HERE.
I can sympathise with the reader. At first it’s like, yay, snow! And then it’s like, ugh, snow. -__- I definitely wouldn’t mind sledding, though.
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Thank you – that’s been my response exactly this winter. I’m over the snow now, bring on spring!
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Dear Iain,
In our part of the country, we seem to get our worst winter weather in February. I love the progression of this and the promise of sledding brightening his mood at the end. Nicely done.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Thank you Rochelle. This year we’ve had snow on and off from December through to February, much more than the last few years. It was fun the first time…! 🙂
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A fun piece, after quite a few melancholic ones. Nicely done, Iain.
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Thank you Varad, always nice to change it up 🙂
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A nicely crafted story arc from joy throug glum to joy again
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Thank you Neil
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Nice turn around. Who wouldn’t like a bit of sledging.
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Haha, well I have my limits – the kids always seem to want to stay out that bit longer than I can tolerate the cold! Thanks Claire.
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I’m glad he enjoyed the snow at the end. I’m feeling jealous because we’ve been having such warm weather lately I’m afraid that our winter might be over already.
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Lucky you! We’ve had about our fifth lot of snow for the winter in recent days!
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Sledging would just about finish it off for me.
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One tumble out the sled and I’d be done with it too.
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🙂
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That captures this time of the year beautifully. Well done!
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Thanks Sandra – it certainly does this year with another lot of snow today here…
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Everyone wants a “white Christmas” but from mid-January to March it’s nothing but cold, grey suck. I saw that on a meme once.
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Yep, there’s not much to look forward too except knowing Spring will follow in time.
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Love this, Iain, a touch of the old Hello Muddah, hello Faddah about it!
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Thank you CE, I have to confess to having to look up the reference, but, yes, it does fit.
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It doesn’t take much to lift a boy’s spirits. Well done.
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When you’re younger I think that’s true, not old and cynical like us adults 🙂
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I love the way your story skilfully outlines the change of response to the snow from pleasure and excitement to dismay and resentment. Suddenly, the delight is restored! Great writing, Iain.
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Thank you Edith – very much based on my own response over this winter 🙂
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Sledging fun!
Snow has its merits 🙂
Happy Valentine’s Day!
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And to you Anita! There’s always fun to be had with snow 🙂
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Once you burst through the exhaustion / monotony of anything there is ALWAYS more fun to be had! This paints a great character and atmosphere 👍 Really liked it!
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Thank you Anna 🙂
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So young at heart. My kids are finally old enough now to not want to sled in the back yard every Christmas. I can breathe a sigh of relief.
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Lucky you, you survived! I have a few years to go yet!
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Always a bright spot, if you look for it. I loved winter when I was a kid. So many fun things to do outdoors.
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Absolutely, thank you.
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I love that he gets something fun to do at the end. There is always room for fun, best not to wallow in miserable weather 🙂
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Thanks for reading. Snow is fun, until you want to get back on with other stuff!
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A delightful little story that proves you don’t need anything beyond daily life to make a satisfactory tale. Beautifully told, Iain.
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Thank you Penny, I do try to stick to real life with my fiction, rather than fantasy or the like.
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The best part of winter! Well, anyone who loves winter sports is VERY happy this year… especially in my neck of the woods.
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Same here Dale, the ski slopes are doing good business 🙂
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Nice!
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🙂
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Ha the joys of snow and sledging, in my case it led on to a few ski-ing holidays. Thank you for prompting me to recall good times
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You’re welcome 🙂
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There is always an optimist in every crowd. Nicely done.
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Thank you Susan
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Here down under I am over the heat, snow would be a nice change (and an environmental miracle). Nice one.
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🙂
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Glad you enjoy the snow! Not me…I’m just holding on for summer! 😦
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I’m ready for summer now too, I can’t pretend to have his enthusiasm any longer! 🙂
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Lol. I’ve just kep my bitterness from the day of the first snowstorm!😉
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I could feel his boredom and angst, I remember those stir crazy days as a teen. Very nicely written story! I also remember the joy of sledding with my siblings and dad!! 🙂 Thanks for those wonderful memories.
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Thanks Brenda, happy family memories for me too, something about snow seems to bring them out.
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Suddenly the excitement returns!
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How long it will last I’m not sure 🙂
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yay! that sounds super fun
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🙂
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Snow has its uses! I remember sliding downhill on a tea tray (no, not last week!). Happy days!
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Happy memories of sledging too, though never on a tea tray! My Dad made a sled for us from wood that lasted for years.
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Ha ha ha. To be a kid and not be judged for your whims again!
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They’re allowed to change their minds in an instant 🙂
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Funny how we always want what we don’t have. We rarely get snow in Dallas, and never enough to go sledding. I liked the progression of this story–kind of backwards from what one might think, and I loved that it ended on a fun note. 🙂
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Thank you Jan, it’s always funny to hear people around the world always wanting to swap weather – I’d take some warm sunny days and long summers here 🙂
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Sledging!….what a relief from all that monotony 🙂
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Thanks Vivian 🙂
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🙂
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That’s so lovely – all that sadness and then … sledging! Great tale Iain
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A sure fire way to cheer up a glum child 🙂
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Until the moment the cold gets to them and they start crying for home! 🙂
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Now that would be fun… Sledging! At least someone is going to make the most of it. Loved the way your piece has progressed showing what the narrator feels about the snow.
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Thank you Norma 🙂
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This made me laugh. Kids! I remember growing up in Denver in the 1960’s we always had tons of snow and I never tired of it. Sledding, snowshoeing, ice skating!!! So much fun to be had.
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Glad it brought back nice memories for you 🙂
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It sure did. Especially ice skating on the lake down the street. Good times.
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Lol I feel for the pain of neverend… wait… sledding? Cool
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Haha, so you’re a big kid at heart? 🙂
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Absolutely!
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There are always those who love the snow… I think that snow in April would be a bit too much even for me.
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I do love it a little, but my limit is about a week and then I’m over it! Thanks Bjorn
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i guess dad has the right positive attitude. 🙂
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Or he just wants the kids out from under his feet for an hour 🙂
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What an adorable little boy and of course, a sweet dad. I really liked that the sister who likes frozen is Elsa too.🙂
Beautiful word picture, Iain.
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Thank you Moon 🙂
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I think many, especially those on the East coast of USA can sympathize with this. For us, here in the middle, it’s been rain, rain, and rain. We have a hundred words for it, but no matter what you call it, it’s still rain. Ugh! I hate being wet and cold all the time.
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Ugh, I agree about enough snow already. More coming tomorrow. Too bad we can’t sled around town.
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Haha, that would make it more fun 🙂
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A little snow is fun. A whole lot, not so much. I’ve watched Frozen more times that I care to count too. My granddaughters all love it.
We used to slide down hills on giant inner tubes, but a piece of old linoleum is the fastest ride I’ve ever been on.
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Old linoleum – good tip. Yes, I have lost count of how many times I’ve had to sit through ‘Frozen’. And a sequel coming next year to look forward too…
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I liked the range of emotions covered in this short piece- very well done
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Thank you Dahlia
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Having never experienced proper snow (Hello Africa!) I really can’t relate to this. However I do miss the sun when it is raining for 3 days straight. First I’m dancing in the rain, then the damp gets to me and I just want warmth again. Sledding sounds amazing!
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3 days! It’s been about 3 months since we had a nice sunny warm day 🙂 But the sledding is fun.
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I know. I really can’t complain 😄
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This had a strong personal experiencial aire to it, I could feel the drudge and the nicely uplifting ending 🙂
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Definitely based on experience. Thank you.
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I’ve lived in a place where snow covers the ground for half the year, so I can definitely relate to this. Really liked the way the story progressed.
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Thank you 🙂
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what a charming snapshot. I remember sledging days of my youth – what magical times. And I count myself lucky for never having had to watch Frozen on repeat…
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You are very lucky – not that it’s bad, but just not after a few months on repeat… Thank you.
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I’m too old for the sport but i can certainly appreciate it’s appeal.
Nicely told story.
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Thanks Dawn
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Lovely turnaround. This really was one fed-up little person before Dad appeared with the sledge. So well done.
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Thank you 🙂
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Love the way you get the mood of the child, when things are so BORING, and times drags by. Pleased he got to go sledging.
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Thank you – my children are in that bored stage right now, and we don’t have a sledge!
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