I'm starting to feel like I want to go and reread Laura Ingalls Wilder's The Long Winter again. Granted, we're not on the South Dakota plains, and have received much less snow than they did that winter. But it would help, as my children (and cat) go cabin fever crazy, to remind myself of how much better I have it.
You would not believe that one simple blizzard could shut down an entire tri-state area. But this is not Chicago or New York - this is Washington DC. You have to see it to believe it. They closed school on Friday before any snow even fell. And while I'm grateful my husband didn't have to drive home on the slippy roads, the Pennsylvanian in me found it all a little Chicken Little-ish, watching people clear off store shelves like Armageddon was approaching.
To be sure, we are some of the lucky ones - we kept our power (so far) and so mostly have to deal with lots of shoveling and digging (hubby) and laundry (me, stocking up in case of loss of power) - oh and cabin fevered small creatures. Though at one point at the height of the blizzard we did marshal all our available flashlights, blankets and sleeping bags in case we had to weather the storm with no heat. And figured out that if we set up our camping tent in the living room we could make ourselves an emergency shelter.
Between 2 blizzards, a bunch of snow days, and 2 rounds of illness I've spent a lot of time this winter behind these 4 walls. I'm starting to feel like a hermit - but not by choice. And it's wreaking havoc on our schedule - doctor's appointments, scout meetings, and school have been set, canceled, rescheduled, and canceled again. My kids may be going to school in July. My littlest - who just started preschool 2 weeks ago - doesn't even know what a normal week of school looks like yet. My husband is chopping out our cars in hopes of making a cautious run for (what else?) milk, eggs, and toilet paper. I saw a story on the news of a Humvee getting stuck on the snow covered city streets - a Humvee! Trees are bent over or broken in half. There's 2 piles of snow on either side of our walk that are as tall as me (I'm 5'2"). If I wanted to get creative I could carve out some nice ice lions or gargoyles or some such.
I'm starting to look longingly at the pictures of summer posted by bloggy friends in Australia. They say it's 70 degrees in Florida where the Superbowl is taking place today - I'd take a road trip, if only I could get out of our neighborhood.... anyone got some sled dogs?
