Monday, December 28, 2015

Waiting for Whiteout

National Weather Service: "Winter storm warning remains in effect until 6 a.m. CST Tuesday…Expect snow to develop around noon and then diminish around 6 a.m. Tuesday. The heaviest snowfall rates will occur between noon and 8 p.m. this evening. Total accumulations of 8 to 12 inches are expected. Look for significant reductions in visibility to as low as 1/4 mile…due to a combination of snow and blowing snow. Traffic will be very difficult to impossible…especially for the evening commute." Hot damn.

It's about 10:30 a.m. and I'm just kind of waiting. I called Mark at Eagle Eye to make sure I was on his list of properties they clear after a snow storm, since we had only talked about it when he was here last. He did have me down, so anytime there's a snowfall over 2 inches, he comes and clears it automatically.

I think winter is finally here. Daytime highs are in the mid- to upper-20s all this week, and lows on several nights are expected to dip into the single digits. And I'm really enjoying it. I'd forgotten how brisk and alive cold weather makes me feel.

A Swarm of celebrating Solbergs
Glen (lower right) oversees the present giving Xmas Eve.
Sister-in-law Pam has been taking care of me from a distance. She brought over an old heavy coat of Steve's for me to wear until I get one of my own. She also brought over some loaner gloves for me, though I haven't used them yet.

Speaking of Christmas, it has come and gone. Christmas Eve was held at the house in Ettrick. It was pretty much a Solberg event, and there are lots of them! Pater familias  Glen proudly says, "Six kids, ten grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren." Glen's recovering from a stay in hospital, and I could tell that having the kids around really lifted his heart, though they did wear him out over the course of the evening.

Most of the gifts were for the kids, who really did a great job staying civil and polite with all those new toys.

After the kids finish opening their presents, the adults have a Chinese Auction, where everyone brings a gift. Numbers are chosen from a hat; number 1 picks a gift. Number 2 can pick another gift or they can "steal" the gift number 1 opened. Number 3 can choose a present or "steal" from 1 or 2. After being stolen twice, a gift becomes unstealable. And so it goes until all presents are disbursed.

It's not such a bad little tree.
After everything's been unwrapped and all the stealing has occurred, you can always negotiate with someone. I swapped my gift for one Emily had gotten (Amanda picked it as her proxy, since Emily and Jim had to leave to go to another gathering). So I swapped with Emily and ended up with a Charlie Brown Christmas tree (from the TV special) with one red ornament. It speaks to me.

Christmas Day and Saturday I spent at home, watching all the Christmas programming that I've been recording on the DVR: The Simpsons Christmas specials, South Park Christmas specials, and a number of films ("The Bishop's Wife," "Miracle on 34th St." "A Christmas Carol," etc.). Spent some time missing family and weeping over loss. Not a lot of time, though.

I'm finding that letting out a minute or two of weepy sadness will vastly improve my frame of mind for the next couple days. If I sit on the grief, it can ruin a whole week or more and send me into spirals. So crying is like an emotional laxative for me, a real soul movement, keeping things regular.

Sunday, the McDougal branch of the family reassembled in Ettrick for yet another Christmas celebration, this time exchanging gifts with the immediate family. Ettrick had gotten some snow (in La Crosse it had been misty rain), and there was ice on the road in front of their house, so I spent some time practicing turning and sliding the car on the ice before I parked. It felt very familiar from my years in Alaska, and I realized the skills were still there, just needing to be reawakened and honed.

Being my first holiday gift giving here, I stayed safe and got people gift cards to Menard's (Pam's and Avis' favorite store), which is Wisconsin's version of Home Depot (only much nicer, with almost anything you could think of under one roof). Pam gave me a pair of gloves, which is nice, because I my hands were freezing for most of the drive out there (30 miles). I also got a blanket for the car, which joins the ice scraper that Amanda gave me as a welcome present back in April. I already had the car winterized back in November, so I think I'm ready to go.

•  •  •  •  •

I just checked the Doppler radar on my phone, and the wall of snow is almost here. I'm snug in my house, waiting to watch this all unfold, wondering what Patty's reaction will be.

Speaking of Patty, she got a Christmas gift as well. It's a stocking that says "Santa's Favorite Cat" (now she has one to hang on the mantle). Inside were with three tiny fleece pillows filled with catnip. I left the pillows inside the stocking so she wouldn't lose them under the sofa. She loves her present and has been drooling and squirming over it, attacking it. I don't think I've seen her this worked up since we moved in.

•  •  •  •  •

I look up at the window and tiny snowflakes are drifting through the air, already accumulating on the ground and rooftops. The car is safely stowed in the garage, so I can avoid scraping and sweeping snow the next time I want to go out. But I've got all the provisions I need for the next several days, and plan to watch this all from my place here near the fire.

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