Monday, December 10, 2007

Just Humor Me A Little Longer

Then I'll get off the Whiny-Baby-Express about how cold and icy and nasty it is here. My poor kids, who haven't seen snow in over six years, can't quite figure it out. They run outside to play, shrieking with glee about the snowball fights they want to have, and the igloos they want to build, and the sledding and tobogganing that must be done, only to discover the "snow" is nothing more than a solid sheet of ice, covering every surface visible to the eye. And probably a few even not visible to the eye. Just ice, ice, everywhere.



This is the view of our driveway. Considering our neighbor's tree is lying right across the power lines, I assume it's a miracle we still have electricity. My sister, needless to say, who lives out in the country, with a big ole propane fireplace, and a back up generator, is hosting an impromptu slumber party tonight with good friends of theirs who are without power, as are a good number of people in the city. My mother is without cable. For me, no cable service would also mean no phone and no computer. Hmmmmm, power -- or cable. Tough choice. If I could only have one or the other, which would I choose? Keeping my children warm on the one hand ...... not being able to connect with the Internet on the other. I don't know; that's a tough one. Can I get back to you on that?



The kids and I got out and took a drive. It might be too slickery to get to school, but by golly, we'll manage a little sightseeing jaunt and a trip to Sonic, won't we? (Yes, seriously. I wanted onion rings for lunch. So shoot me.) This was one of the many branches down in our neighborhood.



I don't know whose tree this is, I just thought it was pretty with the ice on the branches. The heck with auto accidents and power outages and fires and burst water pipes --- it's all about the photo opportunities, baby.



This is the mailbox at our rental property. The rental property that Blaine and I spent Friday morning ripping all the old carpet out of. And if climbing over frozen piles of icy carpet on the back porch to get inside the house, to make sure the kitchen and bathroom sinks are left dripping, to make sure the pipes don't freeze, isn't your idea of good-time mountain climbing, then I sure don't know what is. (Remind me again why we've moved back home to Oklahoma?)



And here, a sad little tree in the backyard of our rental house. It wasn't large and manly to begin with, but it's even more pathetic now. The two trees in the front are beat all to hell, also. One is a weeping willow, so I'm hopeful it will finish weeping and bounce back up in a few days when the ice melts. The other is going to need some major branch clean up, which clearly violates the "NO Manual Labor" clause of my marriage contract, so I'm not sure how Blaine is going to handle that one.

Until then, school has been cancelled again tomorrow. Which judging by how today went, means I'll have seventeen more loads of wet laundry to do, constant mopping of hardwood floors because heaven forbid I remember to buy a door mat at Target, a dog who will choose to poop behind the kitchen table rather than go outside on the frozen ice with his dainty little paws, and the very clear realization that whatever romantic notion I might ever have had about homeschooling, about the warm and fuzzy idea of keeping my children with me 24/7, holding them close to my bosoms at all times ---- yeah, **THAT** retarded idea will fly right out the window before 9am tomorrow. If I was guessing, that is.

23 comments:

Anonymous said...

Ah, yes. The ice storms of the Midwest--a part of our very recent past. My sister homeschools her four children. I think we're not actually related. I get a little testy when one of the boys is home sick for a day. Or a half day.

Hyzymom said...

Homeschooling??? I break out in hives just thinking about it. John and I have been making a concentrated effort to check and help Brenna with her Algebra homework and studying for tests. The sessions usually end up with someone in tears (me) and someone stomping off muttering under her breath. Just got her Math progress report yesterday... F!! Yeah, homeschooling - sign me up! :o)

Hyzymom said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Wonderful World of Weiners said...

Glad to know other people have dogs that will NOT do their business outside, when it's a frozen tundra. We live in Maine and our 2 wierer dogs would rather "bust a gut" then spend anymore time thannecessary out side!! We even have to shovel a path in the snow for them!

Hallie
http://wonderfulworldofweiners.blogspot.com/

Anonymous said...

76 today in Georgia, we may set a new record high!

Unknown said...

You are a hoot! Home schooling wasn't an option when my kids where young, but my grandson asked me to help him with his homework and I swear I have no knowledge from the 6th grade! It's gone!
Hopefully you don't lose cable or electricity, but if you had to choose, well let's just hope you don't have to cross that bridge.
Stay safe!

The Traveling Yogi said...

Those pictures remind me of what it is like around here every few years when we get the ice. Hardly ever get snow and when we do, it's not enough for a snowman. Glad you still have power.
Briana

Dayna said...

Wow. Um. I've never liked the fact that I live in Southern Claifornia. Until right now. I mean, it's butt cold here today - but hey, on the bright side, we don't have ice hanging off anything.

Oh, and hmeschooling - well, I'm considering it right now for my oldest - and then the weekend comes around, and I think better of it.

Anonymous said...

I'll bet the state of Georgia's lookin' pretty good right about now, huh??!! We had one of those ice storms over 10 years back up here - the first that I'd ever encountered in my whole life (having lived only in Washington and Florida, for pete's sake) - and, I did NOT like it. Snow? Snow I can deal with. Ice? Not so much. But, after hearing about OK ad nauseum on the news this morning, I thought about you (and PDub), and was glad to check in and find out that not only are you all okay, but you all have heat and power - and, in YOUR case, even onion rings!! Stay warm, and stay safe!!!!! Hopefully the thaw is not far off.....

Anonymous said...

I hate to be the one to break it to you, but you can't have cable internet without electricity. The modem needs power too. :)

Here's to hoping some of that ice melts away soon! Good luck!

Tammie in MS

Anonymous said...

Ah winter in the Midwest...Gotta love it! On the news up here in Nebraska yesterday, they were showing pictures of your fair Oklahoma talking about how it was the "worst ice storm" in recent history! Stands to reason it has to happen RIGHT when you decide to move, huh? Saty warm!

Lenaya

Erin said...

Kristie, It looks so pretty though! (said from someone who was wearing flip flops yesterday...)
I hope you don't lose power OR internet...and that you stay warm!
And I'll just keep pouting and complaining about our crappy hot weather in December.
I can't wait to see your card! :)

Anonymous said...

Your pics are beautiful in an eerie sort of way. But, for now, I'll stay in sunny Calif. and enjoy the view!

Dixie in CA

Anonymous said...

Was just thinking about you guys when I saw the weather on our news here in VA. It's unseasonably warm here today, but we had some freezing rain last Friday. The pictures are beautiful, though! As for homeschooling... after all the work you did/all you went through to get the kids in THE school district you wanted, it would just be a waste to homeschool now, right? haha! Or at least you could use that excuse!

Anonymous said...

At least you're not STILL shaving your legs because it's 80 DEGREES...tell your kids if they go out to play again, they have to do it naked because they are messing up too many articles of clothing! :) And tell Lager he can come spend Christmas with us down in Georgia if his paws get too cold.

Anonymous said...

Our puppy, Jack, is fascinated by snow/ice. Here in Minnesota we have been in the single digits, and we have at least 6 inches. Every (e-v-e-r-y) single time Jack goes out to go potty, he is genuinely startled to see the snow. He then puts a tentative paw down, lifts it, and looks down, seemingly thinking, "Oh my God! A hole! I wonder what's in the hole?" He then shoves his nose into the hole that HE just made, looking for any small rodent or treasure. Finding nothing, he pulls his nose out, takes a step, lifts he foot, and repeats the process. "Oh MY GOD! ANOTHER HOLE!" He then shoves his nose in, etc. This happens every single time he goes out to pee. He spends the whole time shoving his nose into his own pawprints, and he genuinely appears to think that each hole will yield him a fabulous treasure.

I don't know if it is adorable (yes I do, it is), funny, or just plain sad.

Anonymous said...

We had an ice storm like that in KY once...it was miserable! We had to have a slumber party with two other families because most of us were without power for several days. I remember how quiet it was outside, and then the tree branches would start breaking, sounding like gunshots in the distance. It was eerie. I'll take the fact that I had to turn the air on today over the ice any day. Oh, and I believe you have to have cable AND power to run the computer. So pray you keep both!

Gayle in AL

Anonymous said...

This is a post I wrote last year when an ice storm hit my area pretty bad. The first pic on the post is a weeping willow tree in my in-law's neighbor's yard. I thought the tree destroyed, but after the ice melted, the beautiful droopy branches perked right back up. It was phenomenal.

I hope you don't have to choose between power and cable. But moreso, I hope Sonic doesn't lose power. What would you do without pellet iced Diet Dr. Pepper in a styrofoam cup? A girl has her limits, right?

andrea

Anonymous said...

I've been whining about the 22.5 inches of snow we've received in southern Wisconsin in the last NINE days, but hearing about your ice makes my whining seem wimpy!

And I now officially hate snowdays. I'm a teacher and I used to love them...staying in my jammies, reading books, watching lame TV. Then came kids...and the litany of mommy I'm bored, mommy play with me, mommy I'm hungry...AAARRGGHHH! Mommy needs some wine! I swear it's like summer vacation with worse weather and no activities all scrunched into eight hours of pure hell. Homeschool...not for a million dollars!

Julie in Madison, WI

Pam D said...

Yep, here I sit, down in SUNNY, freakin' HOT Georgia, and my biggest problem is that, after I've shaved the winter fur, my legs are now snow-white (the closest thing to snow that my son has seen in his memory). And frankly, my dear, I don't GIVE a darn whether it blinds anyone or not, because I'm menopausal, I'm having hot flashes, and it's 80 degrees in December!
But then again, I've been through TOO many ice storms in the South to say that I'd trade places with you, Kristie. White legs..ice storm. Not even a tough choice. Give me my Ray Bans... it's time for shorts! And remember.. Delta is ready when you are, and we'd love to have you back here in Georgia!

Anonymous said...

Ahh, we had a similar storm a few years back here in OH and it was wonderful. for some weird reason i look forward to those times. I don't have to go out. No where to go. We do homeschool though and so it is life as usual for us. My husband lives for the "survival mode" situation. Bustin' out the generator, the outdoor woodburner going strong. i am a little sad b/c we just had several inches of snow this past week and now today . . . poof, gone. melted with all the warm air the last few days. Even today - 60 deg. What is that about. But it is Ohio. perhaps this is an omen of sorts. go back to Georgia. They need you!
Tammy in sunny/foggy/snowy/rainy all in one week, Ohio

Unknown said...

Cold, definitely. But also beautiful! I remember how much I hated ice storms in Anchorage, but how pretty they made everything. Hopefully school will be back in session soon...at least Sonic was still open!

Anonymous said...

A "retarded idea"? Really? Interesting.....or something.

Becky