Our snowy day becomes a good reason to play

The Bay Area got a rare dusting of snow on Tuesday morning, and residents responded by celebrating. Parents pulled their kids out of school to make snowmen, snowboarders and sledders caught traction on Mount Diablo, and Twitter exploded with pictures of Twin Peaks under powder.

Winter weather is straining cities elsewhere in the country, and I know that where it falls regularly, snow gets old (and dirty) fast. But speaking as a drought-exhausted Californian, the last week has felt like a carnival. Weather officials say there’s a small chance of more snow this weekend — bring it on, I say.

As every kid knows, the “snow day” is exciting because it’s an unexpected break in routine: Based on nothing more than luck, you get to skip school and make snow angels. This week, Californians battered by fires and water rationing lived out the same principle. Confronted with frozen water from the heavens, we played our hearts out.

Caille Millner, editorial writer