We first heard about it over Thanksgiving.

Youngest son and a friend were planning on driving all the way to St. Louis, non-stop. Over a thousand miles. They would spend a day or two visiting the friend's family, pick up a second friend, and then drive home.

This on winter highways, during the peak of holiday travel.

We were none too thrilled. But the wife did point out to son that he had relatives of his own he stop by to visit during the trip. Most of whom he has never seen.

Their journey was to start early Saturday morning.

It started snowing Friday night. By sunup, we had six inches (15 cm) on the ground.

Son stayed home, even though his friend did not.

I was shocked. That kind of common sense was, well, uncommon.

By this morning we had another 6-8 inches on top of the six inches.

We've got some real snow, now.

By now even youngest son was content with the wisdom of staying home.

As I shoveled the corner early this afternoon, one of the town cops pulled up along the curb, serving his additional function of plowing the streets.

"I suppose you're the one who asked for this," he challenged.

Well, yeah, I remember making several comments in November about how we need a lot of snow this winter.

"I guess I did, too," he laughed. And back to work he went.