These weeks before Christmas are a time of waiting and anticipation for many Christian believers. In our community for the past several days we have had an additional anticipation event in the form of a “monstrous” snow storm predicted to last from Monday night into Thursday. We may get 8-11 inches after a spate of freezing drizzle.
Like most everyone else in town, Husband and I have been planning what we will need if we are stuck at home. We have been to the grocery store three times since Friday. A young couple was buying many gallons of paint in Ace Hardware yesterday in anticipation of finishing a home project if they are snowed in. There is a party atmosphere in the grocery stores, people chatting to each other in the checkout lines, strangers smiling at strangers. Excitement is in the air. People want to be snowed in. Husband insisted on buying a large quantity of dog toys and treats since no one wants to be cooped up with a bored terrier puppy. Kyrill is supposed to be neutered on Tuesday. We shall see if we can get to the vet office on Tuesday morning.
I had planned to finish all my Christmas baking by last night, so that I could get all the goodies we are sending to the UPS store today. The storm anticipation has helped me slow down, and I plan to finish everything in the next few days and send them out on Thursday or Friday. Being this frenetic isn’t good for me. It is interesting, though, how staying at home necessitates so much planning.
What is the most elaborate party you ever planned? What would you need to stock up on if you were to be snow bound and had time to plan? What is the allure of being snowed in?
Trail Baboon 
Now they are predicting 10-13 inches.
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They cannot decide yet about us, what the path will be. Grandaughter in Brookings has final tomorrow which prof will not change. If she stays she is probably stuck through the week.
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Just now he insists they all stay. USD has ordered all finals to be done online.
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Probably son Joel’s graduation – not elaborate so much as complicated, hoping to accommodate a variety of ages, diets, and have both indoor and outdoor seating. It was fun, though.
I would love to be snowed in for one day. Almost happened last Friday when we got 6+ inches, but we had to go out for our food deliveries, which was no walk in the park. There’s a safe feeling – no one can get to you… Of course, there is the knowledge that the shoveling will have to be done.
I stock up on salad stuff, canned soups in case I don’t feel like cooking, and make sure there’s ice cream – also all the ingredients for cookie baking.
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OT: Not sure when this started, but WP is now anticipating my next word, or the end of this word, and it’s driving me nuts – well, I guess it just interrupts the flow of thought. Anyone know when this started?
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The ghost in the machine!
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Doesn’t happen with me here on WP, Barbara, but I can set up Gmail or yahoo mail to auto-fill certain words by hitting the “tab” key.
Chris
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Ah, so maybe it’s an update that’s happened here on one of my browsers, and I can fix it in settings… Oh boy.
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Look for “auto-psychic”
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I call it auto-cliche.
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Think it’s something I can get rid of?
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I doubt that it’s coming from WordPress. It’s likely more general, either to your browser or your operating system. Since you are on a Windows-based computer, I can’t suggest where exactly to look or how to get there but it has to be in the settings, either for the browser or for the keyboard.
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The obvious thing is to do a search for “how to turn off prescriptive text in (browser name)”.
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I meant “ predictive text…”
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Oh, and gotta have Ovaltine on hand – less sugary than hot cocoa mixes…
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YA and I make our own hot cocoa mix. And I experimented with hot cocoa bombs this year so we have several of those laying around as well.
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Not a big party planner so I’ll pass on that question.
We’re pretty much stocked up all the time (thanks, Costco). If we know a storm’s coming, I might go out and buy things like milk, bananas, and bread if we’re low. Otherwise, we could probably survive quite nicely snowed in for several days to a week.
To me, the allure of being snowed in is that it’s a visceral reminder that Mother Nature is ultimately “in charge.” I feel more connected to the planet for some strange reason. It’s also a great excuse not to do a damn thing or have to be anywhere, meet anyone, or whatever. Also gets most people out of their routines for a few days.
Chris in Owatonna (not expecting it to be nearly bad here as Renee will get in ND.
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Rise and Party on, Baboons,
I have given lots of parties. The biggest was probably the wedding reception for Lou and I 30 years ago. My son, his wife, and I were going to plan a party for them after their wedding when COVID allowed. Two years later, they are still reluctant to do this given some immune issues that plague her. It is looking like that will never happen.
My niece is getting married next September. She is marrying an event planner (the family’s first gay wedding). I have seen a bit of her fiancée’s work to date, and given that, I am expecting a BIg Party. When her sister got married, my sister and I made pies for dessert instead of wedding cake. There has not yet been such a request for this wedding, but I suspect that may happen. The last wedding required 44 pies of all varieties and three types of whipped cream (vanilla, cinnamon, and rum). That turned into a whipped cream flight sampler.
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Nothing about snow or being snowed in appeals to me. Though I now live in the snowbelt along the eastern shore of Lake Michigan, I shall always be a Southern Californian who spent 40 years of his life in tropical parts of Asia, and 24 more at “home” as a sunshine child. The winter here is something I endure for the sake of the one whom I love.
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Right now we have dense, freezing fog. It is getting slippery.
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Here it comes…
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Elaborate parties? Who me? I have too many to even start listing here (I got seriously carried away when YA was still at birthday party age.). But I think most elaborate prize probably needs to go to my moms 75th surprise birthday party. It’s hard to plan a surprise party, particularly if you are the one planning it and you’re in Minnesota and your two sisters (who aren’t big help) are in St. Louis. The elaborateness of this party involved sending YS down on a plane for her annual visit with my mom and then driving down on my own a few days later and being in the room with my mom came in for the big surprise.
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I’m never sure whether to believe forecasts or not, but just in case I’m doing the shopping for my big party tomorrow morning first thing. That way if we do get snowed in a little bit, I can work on my elaborate party coming up on Sunday!!
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The ice, I think, will be the wildcard.
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I plan to bring my work computer home tonight to work on evaluation reports tomorrow if my agency is closed.
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Good thinking.
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Evening. For us they predict rain starting tomorrow afternoon, not changing to snow until Thursday. Around an inch Thursday, Thursday night, and less than an inch Friday.
We don’t generally panic buy much. I appreciate the quiet of winter. And nothing at all wrong with staying home during a snow day. 🙂
I report at 6 AM for the knee.
I’ll check in later.
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Good luck, Ben. How long do you expect to be in the hospital?
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It’s out patient. Let’s see if I can check in later today! 🙂
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Holy Mackerel! Practically drive-through, but what with Covid, the flu, and staffing shortages, you’re probably better off at home. Speedy recovery, Ben.
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