Hunkering Down

The NWS says we're in for a big snowstorm, starting tonight and going through Saturday morning.  They say it will be on the scale of the 1991 Halloween storm, although they're only predicting 12 to 20 inches of snow.  The 1991 storm landed three feet of snow in my part of town.

 

We have plenty of food on hand.  As long as we don't lose power, we'll be OK. 

 

I figure all holiday plans will be cancelled.  Sarah is playing Mary in the Christmas pageant and Rachel has a speaking role as a shepherd, too.  There are kids that have to travel 10 to 15 miles to  get to our church (including Joseph).  I just hope they decide to cancel the pageant with enough notice.

 

I know our streets won't be plowed anytime soon.  We're on a street that last on the list to be plowed, but ½ block from a snow emergency route.  But I can't image getting my low-hanging car through all that snow.  We may be forgoing the over-the-(Mississippi) river and through-the-woods to Grandma's house on Christmas. 

 

I guess I'll finally get that chance to clean out The Closet of Doom.  And catch up on the laundry.  Regardless of the weather, the girls and I are looking forward to our annual ritual:  watching "A Christmas Story" as much as possible.  Thank you, Ted Turner.

 

Fortunately, it will be fairly warm during the storm, so I can send the kids off to the backyard to make a snowman if they get too crazy.  We'll probably play "drop the Scottie in the snowbank".  Way back when, this was Macalester's favorite game.  She loved swimming out of the snowdrift.  I think Laddie will follow in his great-aunt's footsteps, and enjoy some snowbank swimming.  I don't think Sydney will be as enthusiastic, but will prefer to hunt for rabbit poop snacks. 

 

With the kids and dogs worn out from playing in the snow, and John in a turkey-induced coma, I think I can look forward to long stretches of quiet time.  Just what this mama needs!

 
 
CA

Carol Anne Wall St. Paul, MN cawall@msn.com thewallsofstpaul.blogspot.com

It's Not BoingBoing, but ...

...my gift suggestion for a writer make it to the first list on Inky Girl (www.inkygirl.com). It's the December 8th post.

CA

Makeover, Scottie Style

Laddie and Sydney went to the groomer's today. It's been about three months and they were shaggy. I let their coats grow out in the winter because it just gets so cold and drafty in the house.

I took two Scottish Terriers to the groomer. I came home with a Cairn Terrier and a black Westie. The groomer did a great job cleaning them up, yet keeping their coats long.

Sydney (with the Cairn look) is just darn cute, and it's clear she thinks so, too. She's preening and pussy-foot prancing around the house.

Laddie on the other hand, looks confused, like he's lost his identity. He keeps looking at me with this "what did you do to me?" look. Male ego, I guess. Either that, or he's offended that he looks like a black Westie.

Wiped Out

By this time, 10 years ago, I think I was out cold on the hard hotel bed.

John and I had spent the day touring the Forbidden City, which seemed not only Forbidden but Forever (as in going on forever and ever and ever...). Chops were purchased, food was consumed, and pearls were oohed and aahed over.

We were not a major source of tourist spending on our trip. I had not learned that if you see it and love it, buy it now because you won't probably see it elsewhere. So different from the US, where many things are replicated, or you could just get another one in the next large town. Although I wonder if that has changed since our 2003 trip.

As I recall, I spent a bunch of bus time looking at Sarah's picture, and counting down the time. Deb was the official "clock" of our group, with frequent updates on our time until Gotcha Day.

I was completely exhausted when I got back from 10 hours of touring. But it was a good, happy tired. I just wished I could sleep better on those beds.

Related Links/Previous Stories:
http://thewallsofstpaul.blogspot.com/2006/12/ach-scheiss-moments-and-day-2-beijing.htm

In Beijing...

By now we would have landed in Beijing, walked through the smoky, silent corridors of the new airport in Beijing. It would be 6:30 pm. Made it through incoming customs and security posts, picked up the luggage.

Oops, forgot there was a stroller with us! John & Tu race back to the luggage area to get it.
Bus ride from the airport reminds me of Chicago and trips from O'Hare into town -- including billboards in English.

Long check-in process at the hotel, set up tours, and then a surprise. Tu has an updated photo of each baby, taken in the last month. A treasure, for sure.

After gazing at the photo of the happy baby playing in her new orphanage playroom, I tuck it into my pocket journal, next to Macalester and Sydney's photos. All my babies in photos taken in the same time period -- together at last, in photographic form at least.

Check into our room, watch the WTO riots in Seattle on CNN International, eat and sleep.
I'm in China. Amazing.

Related Links/Previous Stories:
http://thewallsofstpaul.blogspot.com/2006/12/new-view-of-soon-to-be-familar-face.html

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