Let's Talk About Snow

Wait - Did you say snow?  You betcha, Baby.  It may be 104 in the shade outside today, but I wanna talk about that bright, beautiful, white stuff.
The most snow that I ever experienced in one storm, was the record 13" that fell in one 24-hour period on March 12-13, 1993, in Birmingham, Alabama.  Yes, I just said Alabama.  At the time they called it "Winter Storm 93."  Poor Garrison Keillor got stuck in town once the airports closed, and brought his Prairie Home Companion to the historic Alabama Theater - to those who were within walking distance! 

I was almost done with my junior year of high school that year - and I even remember wanting to wear shorts to school earlier in the week.  But once those big clumps of white stuff started falling from the sky, they changed their mind about keeping us in school.

Later that night, there was a weird sight to behold:  Thundersnow!  Who knew such a thing existed!? (Okay, what southern girl knew it existed...)  The sky was almost greenish that night.  Creepy creepy.

Yes, that's me...  March 13, 1993

We awoke to almost 18" in our front yard - and with the wind that the thundersnow storm brought, drifts on the side of the house that were almost 3 feet deep!  The power had finally given way in the night, and what followed were several days without power, with lows in the single digits. 

The next few days were spent checking on elderly neighbors, taking things out of the freezer and putting them in the snow banks so they wouldn't spoil, and one tumultuous drive to the ER after my dad slipped, fell, and broke his foot going to help a neighbor.  Let me just tell you that this 16-year old driver was very cautious on roads that could not be cleared - because the city didn't own a snowplow.  Not one!  At least it had been a few days for things to thaw, be driven on, and moved around somehow.

I was even filmed that day by a local news station that was in the area filming.  I had the task of uncovering our car in all that snow, so that we could take Dad to the ER that evening.  I don't remember what they asked me about, or what I even said.  Didn't matter, I suppose - because there was no way of watching the news for at least a week (without power).

Perhaps, because I was an innocent youth, I still look back on this cold, exhausting time with wonder and excitement.  (All those years in girl scouts and teaching wilderness survival skills came in handy!)  And I can laugh at dropping the poor, small dog into another snow drift so he could find somewhere to pee.

I can't help but wonder what it would be like if we experienced something similar, here in Nashville (where it's more likely, and we actually own multiple snow plows).  What would MG think?  Would I have enough supplies on hand to be trapped at home for the week?  Would she laugh, take pictures, and help out neighbors like I did?  I'd like to think so.  She's such a great kid.

Befuddled and Disheartened

So I had to break the news to Maggie Grace this morning that Sarah Palin had "lost the race." I not sure how much of all this she comprehends- other than there was a contest or race between two guys (and a girl she likes).

When I told her Obama had won, and that we wouldn't be seeing a lot of John McCain & Sarah Palin on TV any more, she got mad and asked, "Why?"

"Because just like Mommy and Daddy- every other adult got to go vote yesterday. And more people liked Obama than McCain."

"Oh...... Well, BOOO OBAMA!" she said.

"No Maggie, we can't say that. This man is going to be our next President, whether we voted for him or not."

"Well, Daddy says Boo Obama."

"I know sweetie, I didn't vote for him either, but we have to be nice about this and pray for him anyway."

"Well, I still say Booo 'Bama."


::sigh:: The little gears in her head are turning, through her simple logic & following her Daddy's "guidance." Me, I'm praying for our nation now more than ever with unceasing urgency that God has put hand on this and other elections - that unity may come about, and the underlying spirit of fear that surrounds Obama's socialist views may be fought with the sword of truth. Amen.

10 months later / Election Day

If 10 months have passed- and I haven't posted a single thing, does that means that nothing has happened? Far be THAT from the truth.

• In March, I quit my job of 6+ years and took a new librarian position.
• In April, we swapped pre-schools for Maggie Grace, and it's been WONDERFUL ever since.
• In May, I retired my car of 9 years and got a new little red Chevy Aveo LT on my birthday. Thirty-two years. Weird. That seems so old.
• In June, I didn't do summer reading for the first time in 7 years.
• In July, ditto to that.
• In August, I became widow to the building of an arbor at church - that kept my husband busy (or exhausted) more often than not.
• In September, ditto to the arbor - and MG started Catechises!
• In October, MG turned 4, camped out for the first time as a family in 38 degree weather on our 5 year anniversary, and MG had her first REAL trick-or-treating experience (blisters and all)!

And now it's November - and I wish I'd been blogging all this time to record those little weird things that Maggie Grace says or does.

* * * * * * * * *

So here's two little election related stories about Maggie:

MG's very observant about the news or when we're talking with other adults about Politics. As early as 3 months ago, she would see a picture of either Senator McCain or Senator Obama on TV or one of their campaign signs in a yard and scream "It's John McCain," or "That house likes Obama." But for the longest time, she kept saying "OH-mama" instead of Obama. Too cute! And when she sees a really BIG sign for either candidate, she says, "They REALLY like McCain at that house."

And when Sarah Palin came on the scene as a vice-presidential candidate, Maggie really took to her - saying how pretty she was, and how she liked her glasses. Even as clips were show during prime-time NBC TV of Tina Fey impersonating her, MG would scream, "It's Sarah Palin!" So you can imagine her joy when the other morning we got a phone call - it played out something like this:

(Ring Ring) - "Maggie, can you get the phone for Mommy?"

(MG answers phone) "Hello?" A lady on the other end (apparently from a polling place) was talking about voting for Sen John McCain and Gov. Sarah Palin.

As I'm walking over the the phone, realizing that it's not her Daddy or another family member on the line, she screams, "Mommy! It's Sarah Palin on the phone! It's Sarah Palin!"

I took the phone from her. The voice on the other end explains that she was from so-and-so group and wanted to encourage us to vote for McCain/Palin in the upcoming election. I told her that we had both already Early Voted, but thanked her for calling, and said goodbye.

Tears start pouring down my sweet one's face, "MOMMY! You didn't let me talk to Sarah Palin!" I dried her tears and tried to explain.... but she was still convinced that Sarah Palin called to talk to her! :)