Graphic by Weather.com

This morning I woke up well rested from the holiday weekend, then saw the thick fog outside and wanted to crawl back into bed. After looking at the forecast it looks like I’ll want to stay in bed all week, because there is no end in sight to this bad weather.

On that note, happy Monday Preston Hollow!

A small earthquake reportedly shook North Dallas just after midnight. According to Channel 5, the epicenter was at Northwest Highway and Inwood Road, an intersection that the TV station mistakenly puts in University Park. Meanwhile, Channel 8’s epicenter map usefully locates the homes of Mark Cuban and George W. Bush with giant cut-outs of their heads. Classy.

With temperatures in the teens and wind chills reaching single digits, a walk to the bus stop is pretty miserable, especially for those Texas born-and-bred. Although the cold temps seem to be on their merry way out, W.T. White isn’t taking any chances.The PTA has asked parents and teachers to drive past certain DART bus stops with long walks and offer students rides to their next pick-up point.

Since the DART stop at Welch was removed last year, students must walk to and from stops at Midway/Harvest Hill or Willow/Inwood. PTA member Beth Weller asks that all friendly chauffeurs have a W.T. White sticker displayed on their car so students know the connection. She also recommends that students travel in groups for safety. So go ahead kids, get in the car with strangers. Just as long as they are W.T. White-supporting strangers.

According to Tim Rogers over on our sister blog, FrontBurner, a bobcat is staking out Preston Hollow. Let’s make sure Fluffy and Spot are cozy indoors, y’all.

Last week, we told you city sanitation services would operate on an adjusted schedule due to the snow. However, 75230 resident Rita Smith reports her garbage wasn’t picked up all week. She is now on a crusade to get $5.48 refunded from her monthly $21.92 sanitation bill.

“We shouldn’t have to pay for a service we didn’t receive,” Smith said.

Was trash pick-up halted in other areas of PH? Are you as angry about it as Smith is?

It’s not exactly the winter wonderland we had on Friday, but today’s ice and snow mix is enough to close DISD and area private schools for the fifth time in eight days. Several schools are dealing with the handful of missed days through web-based learning. Before there was even a snowflake on the ground, The Winston School already had its remote learning plan on the books. Hockaday drew one up earlier this week and is testing it out as I type.

Are any other area schools attempting to tackle assignments online? Is there anything you haven’t done in the previous four snow days that you are going to get accomplished today? Greenhill hosted a politically correct Snowperson Competition last week, how about a Sleetperson follow-up?

Hockaday students missed four days of classes last week, thanks to inclement weather. But now — with more ruckus brewing in the skies and another closure possibly on the way — the school seems to be ready for anything.

Per a press release this afternoon, Hockaday has just launched a program that allows teachers to post assignments online and instruct students via e-mail, blogs, and discussion forums in lieu of regular classes. All faculty, students, and parents will get a special “remote learning alert” as the day begins, and (when storms seem to be imminent, as they are tonight) middle and upper-school students are instructed to bring laptops, textbooks, and other materials home with them.

For more about local schools’ answers to winter weather, check out Claire St. Amant’s story in this week’s issue of Preston Hollow People.

If all goes according to plan, Dallas ISD students will only have to make up half of the days missed due to snow. The district announced on Friday that it would be using the two make-up days already built into its schedule, April 22 and May 23, but would request a waiver from the Texas Education Agency for the remaining two days so as not to interrupt spring holidays.

Private school plans are still up in the air. Andi Pickle, director of communications at Hockaday, said the school would work to ensure students “are able to make up all the work missed this week without changing future breaks and without piling on unmanageable expectations.” That sounds pretty good. For more concrete plans from area private schools, pick up the Feb. 11 edition of Preston Hollow People. I’d give you more of a tease now if I could, but history is still being composed.

Andie Kohrs, Zane Kohrs, Elizabeth Crowling, Alix Kohrs, Nicholas Osborn, Patrick Crowling. Photo: Jan Osborn

Even though classes are canceled, some people just couldn’t stay away from school on this snowy day. Hillcrest students took advantage of their day off to go sledding on campus.

Alix Kohrs and Nicholas Osborn take part in a rare sled ride.

Jan Osborn gets on the other side of the camera for a change.

All's quiet on the school front as classes are canceled for the fourth straight day at DISD. Photo: Louisa Meyer

Meanwhile, W.T. White’s campus enjoyed a student-free snowfall. For more great photos from Louisa, jump with me. Read More…

OK, I’ll admit it: My two rugrats have been doing little more than rough-housing and watching Pixar movies during these snowy times.

But Preston Hollow resident Melissa Plaskoff, the founder of Lemons to Aid, points out that these days off from school are an opportunity for public service. Yesterday, she and her sons — Hudson, 5, and Parker, 3 — wrote letters to troops. “The boys had the best time,” Plaskoff said. ”It gave me a break from playing ‘babysitter’ and ‘entertainer.’ ” She said they’re sending the letters to Soldiers’ Angels, 8401 Memorial Lane, Plano, TX 75024.

Plaskoff also suggest Positive Placemats – a partnership between Lemons to Aid and Meals on Wheels — as a worthy way to pass the time. Instructions are available at the Lemons to Aid website.

Lemons to Aid welcomes photos of kids helping others. You can send them to lemons@lemonstoaid.org.