Forget the pancakes, it snowed last night.

I was around five years old, and snow had fallen during the night. To me, it was better then popcorn. Better still; my dad was home and it was the weekend. My sled was just asking to be brought out. Big, orange, and perfect for being pulled along the snow banks behind our home; I desperately wanted my father to give me a ride on it.

My mother however, had other ideas. Wouldn’t I stay and have some pancakes first? They would be done in about 15 minutes.

“But mom!” I replied, “I want to go now.”

Not wanting to disappoint me, my mother agreed that I could go; I simply had to be back in time for pancakes. My father was just as eager as I to get outside, and we ran excitedly towards the door.

“I will yell when it’s ready!” my mother called out as my father and I raced towards the gleaming mounds of snow that were so sweetly beckoning us.

Heaven! Never had the snow been so perfect as it was that day. My father and I raced excitedly up one hill and down the next. We completely lost track of time. My sled glided wonderfully across each bank, and I wanted to go faster, and farther with each passing moment. Into the woods behind our house we went, beyond the trees into the thickets. I was having the time of my little life!

Meanwhile, my mother had finished our pancakes, and had begun calling out for us to return to the house. Little did she know or realize just how far away my father and I were.

If she had, she might have given up. Yeah right. My mother?

My sled was stuck! My father had pulled me across an old fence that was hidden by the snow, and the bottom was jammed against it.

“Now don’t worry.” Dad said. “We will be going again in a second.”

I wasn’t worried at all. I was having a ball. The air was crisp, and I was overjoyed at simply being out in it.

POP! My sled was suddenly free and we were off. My father and I had a wonderful time that day. We talked and laughed. Neither one of us realized how much time had gone by. My mother’s best guess was an hour and a half. We were simply led to enjoy the snow in all its glory.

We ate cold pancakes that day, but didn’t complain a bit. After all, is there anything more special then being daddy’s little girl?

By Lynne