Remember the term “empty nest?” Before the day when virtually every family household had two wage earners it was common for a mother to be asked when her children left home, “How are you dealing with the empty nest syndrome?” From what I understand it’s far more difficult when they return home to roost, mostly staying in pajamas, ostensibly job-hunting as they peer at a small electronic screen.

I’ve been wondering this last week why I was in such a funk despite the fact that snow in Seattle usually brings me such joy. Right outside my window has been a parade of skiers, snowshoers and children sliding on objects of every shape and color. Yet I’ve been scowling, thinking dire thoughts about the possible impact of their skulls against hard surfaces. It finally occurred to me that I was suffering from empty sled syndrome.

Whenever it snows I think of Emily’s best friend calling from up the street at the sight of a snowflake, I swear before it could hit the ground, to suggest they try his new sled with runners, a gift from neighbors whose children were grown. When I watch snowflakes beneath the streetlight I miss them both. I miss their childhood and my own.

This last week I watched snowball fights and dogs wearing galoshes, babies being pulled in laundry baskets yet I couldn’t seem to smile, much less write a column. I knew it was time for a change of attitude so I went where there are always at least ten stories waiting to be told. Besides the coffee and the ice cream on 32nd NW, there’s a reason it’s called The Scoop.

There’s a lot of potential change coming to Sunset Hill, between the public meetings between the developer and community about the apartment building that also houses the Sunset Hill Green Market (rescheduled for January 25) and a special meeting being called by the Board of the Sunset Hill Community Association for February 12th. At the very least I figured I could ask customers to give their opinions.

As to be expected on yet another snow day The Scoop was filled with a mix of adults and dripping children. Kim Paxton pointed me in the direction of teachers and live-aboards to poll them about their snow experiences. Owner Walter Pawelko admitted, “Snow days are my best days.” Sure they were selling more hot chocolates and peppermint mochas than average, but for some reason sledding, shoveling and building snow-people drives adults and children to the Snoqualmie ice cream.

Don introduced me to his son Mark, visiting from Portland for work. They had spent some housebound time using Google Earth and Google maps to look at past family homes, in England, Idaho and Massachusetts. Middle school friends Alex and David were fueling themselves after another day of sledding, snowboarding and shoveling sidewalks for hire. On their best day they split $87.00, and almost everyone paid them more than they would have asked.

Max and Oliver were finishing a cookie dough ice cream cone and a hot chocolate respectively. The rain was starting to fall hard on the week’s worth of snow days and slush was curb-deep. Talk turned to boots, Uggs versus XtraTuf. Regnor Reinholdsten shared that he wants leather boots for his 68th birthday next week. He also revealed that he and several other regulars all have birthdays next week, including Victor Manarolla’s 95th on Wednesday.

Another family arrived with telltale pink cheeks and lined up along the ice cream counter. For the two who ordered hot chocolate versus cones, Kim simply handed them the can of the compressed whipped cream and let them squirt their own. Regnor and I discussed the future of the Sunset Hill Community Club and whether it was wise to hold their annual elections at the winetasting that was supposed to take place before the special meeting. Meanwhile board members have been calling all 200+ members personally to invite them to a special community-wide meeting from 3-5 p.m. February 12th to address such questions as, does the association still have a role to play in the community, can it be viable, will the clubhouse need to be sold?

We talked about the beautiful Sunset Hill Community Clubhouse, as it has stood on its corner of NW 66th & 30th NW since 1929, with the association itself dating back to 1922 (the longest continuous neighborhood association in Seattle). “We can’t lose that building,” Regnor said and then I repeated it back to him in an agreement that took the form of a mutual vow.

Outside the snow was melting and so had my heart. Between a freckled nose over an ice cream cone and a new cause, my empty sled syndrome had passed. It was time to get back to work.

TheSunset Hill Community Association's 11th Annual Winetasting, co-sponsored by Sunset Hill Green Market is rescheduled from January 29th to a later date. See their web site for information.