After the Second Storm

and before the third.

The Perfect Storm

 Who suffers most on a snow day?  The kids who get to stay home from school?  The mother who does not have a plan for the kids who are now staying home from school?  The chickens and ducks who spend the night tucked into their coop wondering if they will be left alone to die after their coop is completely engulfed by snow?  Or is it the 'outside job' members of the family who spend the day digging and plowing...

The kids were not as excited about the snow day as one might assume.  Tuesday is art day and Marina wasn't going to get to do that.  Once the anxiety was off to get to school, Falcom fell back to sleep and did not emerge until 9am.  I have enough activities in my back pocket to entertain the children with that I had no problem.  Art, robotics, typing, book reports...I am an endless supply of ideas. Usually, this just makes them avoid me.

The chickens were relieved to see me shoveling them out.  Their crowing and clucking grew louder and louder the closer I got to their coop! All ducks ran right outside when they had the chance.

That means that the burden of the blizzard fell solidly on the men and their heavy machines.  Vince spent the day plowing with Jason.  The truck got stuck only once, way down the road since there was no way to back up and no way to turn around.  Valda had to snowshoe out of her house to come see us.  She had to have Jeff Middleton come over with his bulldozer to clear her drive because there was no way Vince could do it. The children spent over an hour trying to shovel the trampoline. DT and Willie were in town shoveling snow for Joe O'Malley.  They could not get home because our road did not get plowed until after 6pm and by that time they were so tired from the hours and hours of shoveling they did, they just wanted to pass out.

While everyone was outside, busy with their combustible engines and shovels, I baked bread and cookies.  I relished in having everyone home, busy and safe, while I prepared carbohydrates for them.  Yes, I believe that, for me, it may have been the perfect storm.

Blizzard!

This morning Vince got up from the princess couch to wake the children for school.  I said, "What time is it?"  He said, "620."  I said, "Couldn't you give them another 10 or 15 minutes?  Geeze!"  This is my favorite part of the day, the part where they are safe in their beds, the house is quiet, I have Vince to myself.  He said, "Your way never works out!  It's always too hectic!"  He woke them and when he got back to the kitchen the phone rang.  "This is Dr. Gee from Homer High School.  All schools on the lower Kenai Peninsula have been cancelled for today."  Vince looked at me and said, "I guess your way would have been right for today."

There has been fun for all this holiday. 

Our friend Craig came and what a blast I had!  We discussed so many important topics...  resolved so many critical issues! 

14 people came to the cabin for New Years Even.  Whew!  That was a lot.  Vince and Glen got fireworks for our gang.  After food, playing cards, and coffee drinking, we had a spectacular fireworks show.

 Craig and I played sequence with every person we could sucker into joining us.  We made witty banter throughout the game, distracting our opponents.

 Craig probably hasn't used many outhouses in his California days.  Luckily he had this high class outhouse to use during his visit. 

 We did some snowshoeing.  When I say 'some' I mean only a very small amount.

 These fireworks were amazing and awesome!  Thank you Glen and Vince for a super fun time!

There was some conversation about the spring water at the cabin having a diuretic in it and that is why all of us have to pee so much while we are out there.  Craig even went a couple of times during the night.  I would love to know if that is true. 

After a night of sleeplessness Vince and the kids delivered Craig and I to the parking lot and we came home to celebrate New Years Day in a more refined manner.  Thai Food, Sauna and Cool Tub at Land's End, and a good nights sleep.  Super fun!

Now my school is back on and I've loaded my schedule.  We are still doing Karaoke on Wednesday nights and still watching Alaska:  The Last Frontier.

I have more to type but the kids need parenting!