The worst of Icemageddon 2011 is over, we’re told. I’ve gotta be honest, I loved this storm until tonight. We got extra sleep, we ate like kings, we gathered around the fireplace for hours on end while WTHR kept us informed of everything we could possibly need to know about the current conditions.
Many lost power. We, by some miracle, did not. (I am convinced, however, that if we had not stocked up on emergency supplies, we would’ve definitely had an outage.)
The photo my husband took of our son ice skating in the cul-de-sac was shown on the news, so they’re basking in stardom. Our daughter enjoyed endless hours of sliding on the ice with her dear friend.
The kids are off school again tomorrow. That’s probably because everyone and their mother has fallen on the ice today. The yards are literally rock solid ice, as are most side streets, and the temperatures have plummeted into single digits. This slippery glaze is digging in its heels so we can’t!
Of the members of my own family who have reportedly taken at least one spill so far are: my husband (twice), my daughter (too many to count), my son, my dad, my mom, and Paco, our Chihuahua (who ran onto the deck this morning and glided right down the steps and down the small slope behind our house without ever moving his feet).
Now we have one last challenge. Our black lab is on a potty strike. If she does so much as venture a foot outside the deck doors, she stops… looks around at the slippery sheen… and goes right back inside. I really wish you all could’ve been a birdie on my deck railing to witness me breaking up the ice with a shovel (or trying) in my slippers, while my stubborn black dog watched from inside.
I should mention that chopping this stuff is NOT light work. We’re talking about a major demolition-style swing of the shovel to even make a little dent or hairline crack. And? I worked up a sweat in the 12-degree darkness for nothing. Maggie just looked at the path I tried to chop for traction, turned right back around ungratefully and went inside where it was warm. After that, we could not lure her outside for anything. That was hours ago and I’m out of ideas about it. If you could hear what is happening in the background at this very moment, it would be my husband shouting through the closed deck doors, “Go potty! Be a good girl and GO POTTY.” She isn’t going for it. This is the dog who LOVES snow. But she has reached her limit with the ice.
I love snow. But even I am starting to let my thoughts wander to sunny warm skies and lilacs blooming in a few weeks. To remind myself that spring IS going to come eventually, I planted some basil seeds in a small pot today and put it in my window sill. I just needed a visual other than ice.
How did you all fare? I hope you managed to stay warm and safe during this huge winter blast.