My girls, Thelma and Lucy, never tired of it.

They sat fixed in front of the TV, but not watching the show that was on. I think it was a basketball game, but I'm not sure they even knew that.

No, their attention was focused on the bottom of the screen, on the weather-related closings.

The fifth graders already knew the Omaha Public Schools were going to be closed Thursday, for the second straight day. The district's robo-call system had already let us know.

Still, they delighted in watching the notification scroll across the screen -- over and over again.

They knew right after Omaha Chrisitan School what came next.

"Omaha Public Schools!'' they squealed with delight, even the second or third time it appeared. If I hadn't turned the TV off, they probably would have watched a couple more times.

And why not? Who wouldn't love an extra day off, even coming on the heels of two weeks of winter break?

With my wife, Susan, staying at home with them, they watched "Fetch," their favorite PBS show, played games, read and worked on a Girl Scout badge, at times with a fire blazing in the fireplace. Boredom was not a problem, for Susan or the girls.

Now, I don't fault the schools for closing. While I think the girls could have managed on Wednesday in what little snow actually fell during the school day, the weather Thursday was truly fit for neither man nor beast.

But I get a little envious. The snow doesn't mean I get a pass when it comes to walking our dog Hoover, one beast who does seem fit for any weather. Or that I ever get to stay home and join in the fun.

Just once while watching the weather closings, I'd like to see "Omaha World-Herald'' scroll across the screen.

Henry Cordes is a news reporter at the World-Herald. He is married with two children.