Blizzard of 2005

Update on January 26th, 2005:  Another snowstorm today, 10" are expected.... Getting out our shovels because the snowblower broke in the last storm.  : )

Still Shoveling....

                        

                                            

Well, electricity and satellite all still here.  Hmmmm, did I just jinx myself? Knocking on wood....  Anyways, woke up this morning and all I can say is INCREDIBLE!!  I have not seen a snowstorm like this since I was a teen. (The blizzard of '78, they cancelled school for a week.)   The snow is coming down at 4" every 25 minutes....we are in the heaviest ban.  We already have almost 3 feet, and  are expected to get at least a foot more.  The storm will rage until sometime this afternoon....

I can barely see out my windows, not only because the snow is creating white-out conditions, but because the drifts are piled high against them.  I could see Spencer's car in the driveway ....well, sort of.  The only thing showing on his car is the top of the roof.  He's supposed to go to work at 10am this morning, I don't think so....  The roads are not plowed and many of the highways are closed.  High tide will be around noon and they are expecting the seas to rise 25 to 30 feet....  Although we are only 5 minutes from the ocean, we are protected by the cove.  I heard this morning that there will possibly be evacuations because of the astronomical high tides that are expected.  Mother nature is truly awesome.  Not sure that we'll get to watch the Patriots beat the Steeler's on TV this evening, but not complaining.   We already have the best show on earth going on, ....right outside our window. 

Can't wait to go outside and take pictures! 

**Update: Just wanted to share one of my pics.  Here's a picture of our truck, or what you can see of it...  The blizzard dumped almost 4 feet of snow on us.  School is cancelled tomorrow much to Spencer's sorrow, NOT!   

               

                                       

Thought I'd update my journal now because I'm not certain we'll have electricity later this evening.  Not only is no electricity a very real possibility, but I'm sure we'll eventually loose our satellite dish signal.  Oh, what shall I do without a computer or TV..... or heat?  I have our warmest clothes, board games, candles and flashlights out....

Our small coastal town is currently under a blizzard warning.  Right now the snowflakes are gently falling to the ground, but when the blizzard goes into high gear tonight we will be accumulating 3" an hour.  The winds will be sustained at 35mph, with gusts up to 50mph.   Predicted snowfall from this storm is 3 feet.  Yes, 3 feet!  Think we'll keep the shovel inside tonight, might have to shovel ourselves out the front door tomorrow.  The snow drifts should be incredible....

I'm not dreading the blizzard, somehow these large storms have a way of making everyone slow down.  Suppose no one can move too fast in 3 feet of snow, lol.  What I did dread, was having to go to the grocery store.  I am not one of those emergency shoppers, that wipe out the bread and water aisles when a big storm is approaching.  I always smile at the lunacy of it all....  But today, I had to go.  Because of the sub-zero temps that we experienced all week, (today it is a balmy -2 degrees), I hibernated.  After looking in my fridge and cabinets this morning, I knew hibernation was temporarily over....  So this bear bundled up her cubs and headed to the store.

I knew it was bad as  soon as I arrived.  There were no shopping carts, people were standing in line waiting.  When we finally got a cart, I began to weed my way through the mass of people.  Just  crazy.  I picked up a few essentials (chocolate cake is an essential, right?) to get us through the next few days. Then I headed for the check-out.  I was shocked to see the end of the line was at the back of the store in the meat department.  It wound itself through produce, the freezer section and then the bakery.  When you got close to the registers employees were there directing the customer's to the lines.   I was impressed at how orderly it actually was...

I was also impressed at how well Sammi and Mikey did in the store.  This morning both were cranky, so I really had my doubts how this outing would go.  Even on the best days, taking these two out can be a challenge.   Well, I'm back home now in hibernation mode.  Think I'll go bake that cake.  Because even if we lose electricity and can't cook another morsel of food, at least we'll have chocolate cake.  Life is always good when there's chocolate cake.  : )

Quote of the day:  "Life is uncertain.  Eat dessert first."  ~Ernestine Ulmer

Not My Usual Entry

In my entry on January 5th, I spoke of needing to say "Please forgive me, I forgive you.  I love you..." to someone in my life.  That person would be my oldest brother.  Today is his birthday, so our situation is on my mind.  We haven't spoken in 4 years.  Why, you ask?  I honestly don't know the exact reason, and even after reflecting on it for the last few years, I truly do not know what I did to deserve the *wrath of Rick.* 

Our relationship seemed to change after my divorce.   I felt let down that my brother wasn't there for me during that difficult time.  I was there for him when he went thru his failed relationships/divorces.  I never judged him, I accepted the new person he eventually brought into his life.  Not only did I accept her (Dee), but she  became one of my closest friends.  But now all seems lost.  Not only did I lose my brother, but my close friend as well.

At first, I noticed that he was distant towards me at family gatherings.  He only spoke to me when I spoke to him. Because Rick can be moody, I figured his distance towards me would pass in time.  It didn't.  Everything came to a head a few weeks after the birth of my daughter Sammi in July 2001.   No cards, no phone calls, no replies to the emails & pictures I sent announcing her arrival in the world.  Hurt, I finally sent him an email asking what was wrong.  After a few days of heated emails, the silence began....

                        ....and over 4 years later, it continues....

Although I remain in the dark about what I did, I know that I cannot be blameless.  I must have done something to hurt him or Dee, and even if it was unintentional, I apparently still hurt them.  I don't know how to fix our injured relationship, not sure it can be fixed.  I wish relationships could be made all better with a band-aid and kiss, but life just isn't that easy.  In the past 6 years, I have lived another life-time that he has chosen not to be a part of.  A life that is now happy and filled with blessings I never imagined.  Sure, sometimes things get crazy around here with a teen and two toddler's, but I have never been so content....  He has never acknowledged my little ones, he has never touched their curly heads, picked them up, or waved hello to them at family gatherings.  I do not exist in his life, so neither do they.  My husband Mike, is equally hurt. These two children are the lights of his life, truly the apple's of his eye.  And to see them ignored is hurtful.  He has feelings of resentment towards Rick & Dee because of this, who could blame him?  So now a disagreement between the two of us, has involved our families, our children, our spouses.  That's alot of hearts to heal.  :::sigh::: 

This year on Christmas Eve at my parent's house, I nervously said, "Merry Christmas..." to Rick.   Rick replied, "Merry Christmas..." and I thought I saw the beginning of a smile.  Maybe this icy cold silence is beginning to thaw? 

 

"I Remember..."

Knocking over your towers of blocks,
Going with Dad on summer time walks.
A see-saw stunt gone amusingly wrong.
You played the trumpet as I sang along.

Throwing apples in our neighbors pool,
Walking behind you on the way to school.
Climbing tall pine trees to the very top,
You told bullies who picked on me, "to stop."

Tag football, basketball, building go-carts,
Contraptions created using bike parts.
Bolting downstairs after a lightenings flash,
Our neighborhood carnival, dreams of cash.

A life time of memories, stories to tell.
Not only my sibling, but a friend as well.
Never imagined our lives spent apart,
Discovered that silence can break a heart....

Four years have passed, no olive branch in sight.
Does it really matter who's wrong or right?
Not sure how to resolve this feud we're in,
Is it too late to say, "...Let's begin again?"

Written by: Michelle S/aka s0ngbird1962

Quote of the day: 

"Saying nothing....sometimes says the most." ~Emily Dickinson

 

First Haircuts

Ok, I've never tried this before, so hoping it works....  My first animation.

Sunday we finally brought the kids for their first haircut....  I was unsure how they would handle it, because combing hair around here can sometimes be a nightmare.  Both of them have ALOT of hair.  Mikey's is so thick and curly, that the only time I can get a comb/brush through it is right after washing and conditioning.  Whenever we bring Mikey out in public, people always come up to us and comment about how beautiful his hair is.  I honestly don't think he's ever gone out with us, without someone coming over and touching his thick curly hair. 

We both didn't want to cut his hair, ...never even trimmed it.  Amazingly, Mike was more resistant to cutting his hair, than I.  But the time had come.  His hair when wet went to his mid-back, and in the past few months more than a few people have mistaken him for a girl.    I've never taken offense, but I suppose it's time for him to look like a boy again.... 

When we got to the hairdressers, I was having second thoughts.  I wanted to turn on my heel and run out of the salon.  Sammi sat in the chair first.  The hairdresser shaped Sammi's hair and put in some layers, it came out incredibly cute.  Sammi sat in that high chair and exclaimed, "I feel like a princess"....Too bad we didn't bring her wand, lol.   Then it was Mikey's turn.  He was a bit more unsure about the whole thing, but for being only two he did remarkably well.  A bit fidgety, but he managed to smile through most of it.  He had 2" taken off, yes, the curls STAY!  This Mom is  not ready for the close to the scalp, part on the side look.  Maybe by the time he's in kindergarten.....       

As you can see in the above animation, Sammi and Mikey's awesome adventure at the hairdressers went off without any tears, well, maybe one or two from Mom....

Quote of the day:  "Count your smiles instead of your tears; Count your courage instead of your fears."  ~~Annonymous 

Frosty Returns

Last Saturday, seven inches of heavy wet snow once again blanketed my corner of the world.  Much to the delight of the little ones, their friend Frosty returned.   For now....

Today the snow is falling again.  The forecasters are saying that four inches of new snow will fall, before turning to freezing rain.  No doubt that Frosty will be just a small white mound by tomorrow morning.  Unless.......

Do you think Frosty would look silly with an umbrella?  Hmmmm.... 

Quote of the day:  "When it snows you have two choices:  Shovel or make snow angels."  ~~Annonymous

**A note to my brother:  I was thinking of you yesterday; Happy Birthday Mike!! Did you save me any cake?  : )

Change

It's after 2am, what the heck am I still doing up??  I really have nothing to write about tonight, so I'll begin typing and see what happens.....  Click here ~!> escape  to leave if bored.  OK, ok....so the link doesn't work, lol, you're stuck.  : )

The tsunami got me thinking about how quickly life can change.  I can't fathom the horror and my heart aches every time I see pictures of the devastation on TV.  Tomorrow is promised to no one, but I think we tend to forget that until tragedy happens.  Sometimes you never get another chance to say "I forgive" or "I love you".    It's a New Year, a new beginning, and I have someone that I need to say those words to.   "I forgive you, please forgive me.  And I love you...."   I'm not sure things will ever be the same between us again, but I'm hoping those words will at least begin to heal the rift between us.  I fear finding the courage to say those words will  be harder than sticking to my New Year's resolution to diet. 

On a lighter note....  I was looking at my Christmas pictures and came across some pictures about change.  One of Sammi's favorite presents was a dress up box filled with clothes, sparkly rings, bangles, hats, and high heeled shoes that are five sizes too big...  The first picture shows her just opening up the box, the second picture was taken shortly after.  Pre-school to *I'll NEVER let her walk out of the house dressed like that, no matter how old she is*.... 

The next picture is of our beloved snowman.  On Monday he was over five feet tall, but after a few days of rain and temps in the 50's, today poor Frosty is now a little white lump.  I hear we are supposed to get a winter storm on Thursday, so maybe we can resurrect ole Frosty then.    Change, gotta love it.  ~~Like we have a choice....

Quote of the day:  "If nothing ever  changed, there'd  be no butterflies..."  ~Unknown